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How can I forget my sins?

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cairaiii

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I've been having real troubles forgetting sins that I have truly confessed and feel sorry for.

I know that He can forgive and also forget my sins. But I am afraid that I cannot.

My past deeds always come up in my mind, especailly the worst of my sins such as the blasphemies against Our Lord and Lady.

I hate all my sins and which to put them behind me. But no matter where I am or what I am doing (praying, reading the Word, attending mass), I think of my sins and impurity.

I really need some help I feel hopeless, I have been asking St. Jude for help but still feel so impure because my thoughts keep haunting me.

Can I ever find peace? If He can forgive, why can't I forget?
 

a_ntv

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Psalm 51:7
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

I remember that Mr Luther spiritual troubles started when he couldnt realize that all his sins were canceled in the confession.
It is very important to trust in the almighty power of God in the confesion.

 
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geocajun

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cairaiii said:
I've been having real troubles forgetting sins that I have truly confessed and feel sorry for.

I know that He can forgive and also forget my sins. But I am afraid that I cannot.

My past deeds always come up in my mind, especailly the worst of my sins such as the blasphemies against Our Lord and Lady.

I hate all my sins and which to put them behind me. But no matter where I am or what I am doing (praying, reading the Word, attending mass), I think of my sins and impurity.

I really need some help I feel hopeless, I have been asking St. Jude for help but still feel so impure because my thoughts keep haunting me.

Can I ever find peace? If He can forgive, why can't I forget?
The advice my pastor gave to me when I asked this same question was: When these thoughts come into your mind, say to Jesus "Lord, I do not want these thoughts, take them from me."
Seems to work for me.
 
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RoseofLima

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One of the sacramental graces of the Annointing of the Sick is hope. Mental anguish which is leading to despair is a just reason to avail oneself of this sacrament, perhaps you could ask a priest to annoint you?

Also--you need to fight the battle where it is at...in your mind. As soon as thoughts of unforgiveness enter into your mind...pray an act of faith. SOmething like- "Jesus, give me the right thoughts. I know you have forgiven me. I know I am forgiven. Replace these thoughts with Your thoughts. Please reveal to me exactly how You see me. LEt me know Your love in a profound and tangible way."
 
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Davidnic

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cairaiii said:
I've been having real troubles forgetting sins that I have truly confessed and feel sorry for.

I know that He can forgive and also forget my sins. But I am afraid that I cannot.

My past deeds always come up in my mind, especailly the worst of my sins such as the blasphemies against Our Lord and Lady.

I hate all my sins and which to put them behind me. But no matter where I am or what I am doing (praying, reading the Word, attending mass), I think of my sins and impurity.

I really need some help I feel hopeless, I have been asking St. Jude for help but still feel so impure because my thoughts keep haunting me.

Can I ever find peace? If He can forgive, why can't I forget?


The reading in Church today helps us with this question.

Brothers and sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.


2 Cor 5:14-17

Each day is a rebirth in Christ. We are not regarded by our past sins, but by the love of Christ.

If you have confessed your sins and are sorry for them there is sometimes a healthy guilt that helps us avoid them in the future, but sometimes that can get out of our control.

It can be difficult at times to accept forgiveness. To do so requires us to love ourselves, in some small reflection, in the way Christ loves us. This is not easy.

To see ourselves as Christ sees us. As God sees us. It is not easy at all.


When we are clean from Sin, God does not say…”You were dirty before.” He embraces us.

When we still have sin God does not say, “you are filthy…go away.”

He says,

“Come, I know how beautiful you really are, let me clean you up and show you…if you will let me.”

It can be the hardest thing in the world to understand such love, so don’t judge yourself too harshly for having trouble dwelling on past sins. It can happen to the best of us.

Seriously...to the very best of us.

Take a look at some of the Saints. You say you are having trouble forgetting sins such as the blasphemies against Our Lord and Lady. I’m sure that St. Paul did as well. He had much to remember, He killed those who loved the Lord. I'm sure as he wrote the above passage, he remembered what he had once done. Who he once was.

We don't always have control of our feelings. Sometimes, when we dwell on our sins it is because we feel unworthy of Christ and His love.

How can we earn it? How can we earn it, most pointedly in light of what we do sometimes?

The answer is...we don't earn it. It is a gift. Sometimes it is far harder to accept a give than to give one.

We can (and most of us have) get a gift here in the daily world and say, "no...this cost you too much...this is too expensive. I don't deserve this."

The same thing happens with Christ. "Lord, I don't deserve this. This forgiveness cost you too much. I am not worth this."

But He has said the word. And we are healed. We are worthy by His love.

But in your heart you know this. So slow down a moment.

My advice is relax. Pray to St. Paul, he knows how you feel. Read his conversion story in Acts. Read about Peter and how he denied Christ and pray that he help you too. Read how Thomas doubted.

Then look at what they went on to do. Where would we be without them? But they went through the same thing you are going through.
You are in my prayers.
 
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WarriorAngel

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cairaiii said:
I've been having real troubles forgetting sins that I have truly confessed and feel sorry for.

I know that He can forgive and also forget my sins. But I am afraid that I cannot.

My past deeds always come up in my mind, especailly the worst of my sins such as the blasphemies against Our Lord and Lady.

I hate all my sins and which to put them behind me. But no matter where I am or what I am doing (praying, reading the Word, attending mass), I think of my sins and impurity.

I really need some help I feel hopeless, I have been asking St. Jude for help but still feel so impure because my thoughts keep haunting me.

Can I ever find peace? If He can forgive, why can't I forget?

Well, here is something...if you are remembering a sin, perhaps it stays with you so you do not bear to repeat it.

Yet, I am sure you understand that once you are repentent with all your heart and go to confess it, it is forgotten by God...

Holding onto it COULD be your own way of hoping not to repeat it.

Remembering the pain and anguish it caused could help you absolve not to do it again.

Otherwise, trust that it is forgotten by God.

He said....."I will remember your sins no more"

Peace!
 
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rocklife

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one thing that greatly helps is as much as you can, make those wrongs right. Yes Jesus forgives us, we still need to make things right with man too, like when Zacheus returned money he had overcharged (Luke 19). If there are people who have heard your blasphemy, and you still know them, tell them, by letter or talk or etc, that you have changed and should not have talked like that. They will see God is changing you to be respectful and it is sinful to talk about Him so lightly (blasphemy is very common, it is rare to see someone apologize publicly for it). Surely God will help you :) ask Him to give you strength and humility and seek His approval more than sinful man's.

Jesus is worthy :)
 
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Maggie893

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Hey Cairaiii:hug:

You are not alone. I've learned that when this happens to me, and it happens often:doh: , it's caused by my thinking that I should be able to be perfect by my own power. Too often I think that I need to be perfect, be free from sin and that I somehow will be able to manifest it on my own. I end up with self-hatred for my past offenses and my "weakness".

Well the truth is that no matter how hard we try, we will not be perfect without the graces from God that we need. We can strive for what we believe to be perfection (Be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.) But it is only by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that we can cooperate with the graces given to us to achieve this in our lifetime.

This may not be your issue but this is what I've learned. I have to continually remind myself that all that is now good in me is by the Grace of our Lord and I beg for more Grace!!!! Be thankful that He has begun a good work in you and will continue it unless you reject him.

I'll pray for you that you will feel His mercy and rejoice that you are weak enough to need Him!:crossrc:
 
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D'Ann

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:hug: :hug: In time, you'll embrace this part of your life as being forgiven by God and you. We all learn from the sins of our past and hopefully, we gain strength and knowledge by the mistakes that we have made and with God's grace, we are able to have more love and compassion and understanding with others who are struggling in the same way that we have struggled.

Really great advice in this thread. Thanks you all.
 
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