A man was kneeling in church and thinking that God was mad at him. From the man’s perspective, that’s what he deserved. He couldn’t conquer his sins. He would try, but eventually he would fall again, and how much would God put up with this? At this moment he wasn’t feeling very peaceful or comforted.

What do you think of this person’s evaluation of his situation? Is he coming to the right conclusions about his present relationship with God? Is he looking at God and himself in the right way? This man, I would venture to say, is a lot like you and me. We need help in changing the way that we think and, in the way that we view how God deals with us. Sometimes, because of our wrong way of thinking, we end up not letting God be God in our life.

So, when we find ourselves “stuck” in our sinfulness, what’s the best thing to do? What would actually be more pleasing to God? It’s not trying to make superhuman efforts on our own to completely eliminate our imperfections or sins. It’s knowing how, as quickly as possible, to recapture our peace so that we can avoid

Here are some basic things to remember: God can do more for us when our souls are at peace. We have to understand that it is only the grace of God that can free us from our sins. So, it’s better to regain our peace (in other words, calm down) and let God act.

What’s more pleasing in God’s eyes, to be discouraged and tormented or frustrated? Or is it better to say a prayer like this:

Dear God, I ask your forgiveness, I have sinned again. Sadly, Lord, this is what I am capable of doing when I’m on my own! But I abandon myself to You with confidence because I know that one day You will heal me completely and, in the meantime, I ask you to let the experience of my weakness help me to be more humble and considerate of others. Also, let this experience make me more aware that I can do nothing by myself. I must rely on Your love and Your mercy.

Today Jesus says, “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”

God is more concerned about whether or not our hearts are in the right place. So, we have to be careful not to be giving in to the sin of pride which makes us think that we can solve our own problems relying on our own powers.

St. Francis de Sales once wrote (and it’s with this thought that I’d like to end): “Nothing slows the progress in a virtue so much as wanting to acquire it with too much haste!”