When God Forgives, Why do many resist forgiving ourselves? The many Reasons Why

When God Forgives, Why do many of us resist forgiving ourselves?

 The Many Reasons Why

Eileen Renders

When we go to Confession, and confess our sins, say an Act of forgiveness, and the priest who has the power forgives s our sins, why then, are we unable to forgive ourselves? Feeling remorse for our sins may be a positive reaction, as it demonstrates remorse. However, when remorse drags on, and we are still unable to forgive ourselves after God has forgiven us, this could be Satan attempting to separate us from God. Whenever we become aware that Satan  is attempting to control our thoughts, we can say, “Get away, Satan, I belong to God and follow Him.” 

When our guilt is unrelenting, we would be called to;

a.     Complete a full internal search of any sins we have not confessed

b.    Go to confession and request the priest to help us with a “General Confession.”

c.     Ask ourselves if we are going to Reconciliation with or without a firm resolve to stop committing the same sins we have just confessed over and over again? 

d.    Could we be holding back on confessing specific sinful acts because we don’t think they should be seen as sinful?

e.     Do we believe that as humans, we are incapable of remaining free of sin?

f.      Why might we ask ourselves, are we going to Reconciliation, promising not to sin again, yet there is no sincerity in that promise to God? 

g.    Are we truly unwilling to give up what is sinful to God, yet wanting His love and forgiveness?

Perhaps we are only mimicking the words (promise) to Christ in the Confessional when we complete an Act of Contrition at the end of Confession, with our Act of Contrition without any true sincerity. 

If so, it is upon us to change. For example, if we are living in sin with a partner without marriage, we cannot make a good Confession until we resolve our sinful lifestyle.