The pain of being unable to go to penance

[Nilla_Bean]

Does anyone else have circumstances that make the sacrament of penance a very difficult one to access?

I have been battleing a moral struggle with a sinful habbit for years. Some months are easier than others. Some I strive and do well, others, I’m so spiritually exhausted I barely care. I’ve been guilty of presumption more than I can count.

I’m having a good month, but have again, painfully, stumbled, and due to circumstancs beyond my control, it could be a week before I can confess It’s such a painful trial, and one that leaves a sick feeling in my stomach.

Has anyone else found themselves in such a situation? What do you do?

 

[coolduude]

I find myself in quite a similar situation. I struggle with a certain mortal sin as well and seem to fall often enough that it merits frequent confession. However, I just recently moved back home and live with a ‘Catholic’ family that I fear will tease me and ostracize me for going to confession; it’s happened to varying degrees in the past.

I know that’s not an excuse to not go to confession, especially when I need it so badly. It does make it hard to go though.

What do I do in the time between confessions? Pray mostly. I try to talk to God personally and work out ways I can avoid another fall. I don’t know how well that’s going but that’s what I do. I hang in there. It’s not fun, but I do it.

 

[PeterGStanley]

I struggled for a long time and it was when I began a serious prayer life that I was able to over come things…I asked my self one day do I want things the way they are which of course the answer was no.I asked if I was just going to roll through the rest of my life taking the faith given me lightly again the answer was no.I try now to put as much as I can into it and my life is not what it was before.I couldn’t do both because my spiritual life suffered so I had to make a choice - I now side with my faith and it gains strength everyday - I am also aware its a slippery slope when I let things slide - when my prayer life slips I;m sliding down hill - some pretty painful days because I don’t want to slide.Its a battle.Think of what ST Paul said - its a race and all that matters is the prize at the end - theres no second place - its running to win - train like an athlete trains for the big race - you hit those pain thresh-holds and you run through it - focus on the prize and do what you have to to win the race.