A special sacrament of communion with God - confession - consists in the fact that a person repents, revealing his sins to the priest and making a promise not to commit sins anymore. A converted person has many questions about how to prepare for confession. Here are some of the answers.
Instructions
Step 1
Confession is different from the usual conversation with a clergyman. Such a conversation can, of course, be very confidential, in it you can touch on some life situations, get advice. But the sacrament of confession is fundamentally different from a confidential conversation, it is filled with deep moral meaning.
Step 2
To prepare for confession, first of all, you need to take some time to think. First, acknowledge your sins. The very fact that you have chosen to confess indicates that something in your life is not going the way you would like it to. Reread the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus Christ and you will find answers to questions about what should be considered a sin. And the commandments given in due time to Moses also to some extent reflect God's plan for the righteousness of human life.
Step 3
Sometimes, among believers who consider themselves well acquainted with church institutions, there are so-called “lists of sins” drawn up in brochures. Such preparation for confession should be considered doubtful, since it introduces into confession the formal features of the usual enumeration of sins, which does not correspond to the very essence of this sacrament.
Step 4
There is no need to come up with a special language when talking about your sins. You do not need to think for a long time about how to formulate your words in order to name your sin correctly. Use regular speech and the phrases you are used to. Remember that God knows more about your sins than you do.
Step 5
Often it is difficult for a repentant person to speak out about their sins, fearing to fall under the condemnation of a clergyman. You will be surprised to learn how different and unusual sins the parishioners confess can be. So you can hardly surprise and puzzle the priest. A priest, as a witness of true repentance, will never condemn you in confession.
Step 6
In confession, you should talk about big and serious things, avoid talking about small everyday issues. Failure to fast in the eyes of God will clearly not be considered a great sin, so you should not start with that.
Step 7
The main questions that you should touch upon during confession can be devoted to your relationship with God and your loved ones, first of all, your family members. But do not forget about the attitude towards other people who find themselves on your life path.
Step 8
Remember that you must change your life before confession. Do not turn confession into a simple confession. Genuine repentance begins long before confession and requires a lot of work of the mind and heart. Think: if you consider it possible to continue sinning even after communicating with the priest, then perhaps you should not postpone your confession?
Step 9
Stay at peace with all people and with yourself. Before asking God for forgiveness, try to forgive your imaginary and obvious offenders yourself. Free your heart from the burden of resentment, bad and negative thoughts.
Step 10
And when preparing for confession, always remember the words of the Lord: “Forgive, and you will be forgiven. With what judgment you judge, you will be judged."
