What should you do after you commit a serious sin?

As humans, we are weak and frail, and on occasion we will fall into sin, or even a life of sin. What should we do?

The pressures of the world and the many temptations that abound are often difficult to resist.

As hard as we may try, we may find ourselves committing a serious sin or even living a “life” of sin.

What should we do? Will God forgive us?

Trust in God’s mercy

The very first thing to do is to trust in God’s merciful love. Often we can accuse ourselves and then think that God would never forgive us.

This doubt then leads to us distancing ourselves from God, thinking that God doesn’t love us or that he would never receive us into his loving arms.

We always have to remember the love of the Prodigal Father, who put on a feast for his Son who returned from a life of sin.

St. Francis de Sales gives similar advice in his Introduction to the Devout Life:

Introduction to the Devout Life

[W]hen you have fallen, lift up your heart in quietness, humbling yourself deeply before God by reason of your frailty, without marveling that you fell;—there is no cause to marvel because weakness is weak, or infirmity infirm. Heartily lament that you should have offended God, and begin anew to cultivate the lacking grace, with a very deep trust in His Mercy, and with a bold, brave heart.

Go to confession

After having prevented yourself from running away from God, turn yourself toward God and run to the nearest confessional!

God has provided us with a sacrament of healing and forgiveness, which gives us the grace to restore our relationship with him.

Priests have heard every sin in the book, and so don’t be ashamed of your faults.

The priest is only there to act as an instrument of God’s tender mercy.

He is also there to help you overcome your sins and can provide spiritual advice when you need it.

God wants to forgive you and to show you his love. Don’t ever forget that simple truth!