While reading Confessions by Saint Augustine, the paragraph below struck me to a point where I felt compelled to write.
‘Lord hear my prayer’ (Ps. 60: 2) that my soul may not collapse (Ps. 83: 3) under your discipline (Ps. 54: 2), and may not suffer exhaustion in confessing to you your mercies, by which you have delivered me from all my evil ways. Bring to me a sweetness surpassing all the seductive delights which I pursued. Enable me to love you with all my strength that I may clasp your hand with all my heart. ‘Deliver me from all temptation to the end’ (Ps. 17: 30). You, Lord, are ‘my king and my God’ (Ps. 5: 3; 43: 5).1
God does discipline us in ways that we cannot understand or even recognize. However, as with good parents, God disciplines us for our own good. He disciplines us in a way that guides us to Him. In creating us, God gave us an inherit sense of right and wrong. He gave us a sense to tell the things that lead us to him from the things that lead us away from him. Just as food that is good for us taste good and things that are poisonous taste bad, we are happiest when we are closer to God and unhappy (though we may not fully realize it or even deny it at the time) when we are walking away from God.
I have always believed and hoped in an abundantly merciful God. I have sinned and I continue to sin. I trust and rely on God’s mercy. I am thankful to God for giving me the grace to turn away from many of the sins I have committed and the sinful life I lead. I pray that God will continue to help me, guide me and give me the courage to resist the temptation to return to a sinful life.
The paragraph above from St. Augustine’s Confessions can be read as a prayer and in my mind, an excellent one. It asks of God to hear us and give us strength. It praises God and thanks Him for his mercy. It honors God by recognizing that God though His grace has delivered us from our evil ways, which is something we could not do on our own. It asks God to lead us towards him and away from our wicked ways. As with the Lord’s Prayer, it asks God to keep us away from temptation. It ends in a very traditional way by praising and honoring God.
- Augustine, Saint; Henry Chadwick (1998-05-03). The Confessions (Oxford World’s Classics) (pp. 17-18). Oxford Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
Random Theological Thoughts by a Non-Theologian 
Sometimes I hate confessing my sins to God, asking for forgiving. Not because I’m not repentant. It’s because it all seems so…useless? Well, not a good word, but it pains me to approach God YET AGAIN for forgiveness. And knowing I’ll be back again tomorrow. Your thoughts?
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Jeff,
My apologies for taking so long to get back to you. I have been traveling.
Remember what Jesus told us:
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'” (or seventy times seven as quoted in some translations). (Matt. 18:21-22)
If God asks us to forgive others seventy times seven times, how many more times do you think God will forgive us? Never, never, never, not ever, feel bad about confessing the same sin to God. It is what he wants us to do.
Further, it is my understanding that in the bible the number seven is used to represent a very large number and should not be taken literally. Therefore, even if you do end up confessing the same sin seventy-seven or even seventy times seven (490) times, God will still forgive you and you should never feel bad about confessing your sins to him.
Are you confessing the same sin over and over? If so, I strongly suggest you ask someone you can trust to work with you in finding and getting help for the root reason you are committing the sin repeatedly. For example, if you are constantly confessing to God that you get angry with people, ask someone to help you determine why you are getting angry so often. If necessary, do consider professional help.
May God’s Mercy and Forgiveness be with you always,
Barry
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