It was a particularly challenging morning. It wasn’t any of the usual morning crises—the alarm clock had gone off without any snoozing, my outfit had been picked out the night before, and my car had plenty of gas.
Everything was perfectly set up for me to head to my parish for morning Confession.
However, every excuse to stay home instead was running through my head. The desire placed on my heart to be free of my sins was enough to get me to the parking lot of the church, but it was then that lies from the devil started coming in fast. I was on the edge of turning around and driving home when something greater moved me to enter the church.
I’ve heard that the more you move towards God, the more the devil will try to pull you back.
This rang true that morning more than it ever had before. I’d been going to Confession more frequently lately, and was really making leaps in my faith life. I imagined the more I confessed, the easier it would get. I didn’t necessarily find that to be true.
It’s discouraging to feel like you’re always confessing the same sins, but there’s an incredible grace that comes with participation in the sacrament. Each time I walk out of the confessional, I feel a new light inside of me. It’s a feeling of weightlessness- knowing that the Father sees my sins and has forgiven me.
It’s a feeling of humility and a feeling of determination.
I walk out of that confessional with the intention to avoid sin, and I know that God is actively helping me.
Confession can be a scary thing. There will always be lies from the devil coming at us, but God will always win. The Father’s mercy is one of the most beautiful things, and I’m constantly in awe of the ways He loves us.
Confession for Lent. . .make it happen.
