A theme in some of my spiritual reading this week was conversion of heart toward God through continual repentance. It was largely from a Franciscan perspective, one that I do not generally find easiest for me to understand and relate to, but the insight has proven very helpful.
Thinking about sins and faults is often discouraging, because it becomes focused on my failure, and that it why it is important to remain focused on God in this area of the spiritual life. Sins and faults are insurmountable obstacles for me, but they are not obstacles for merciful God! Constant repentance is not about focusing on how I have failed but rather on how God is calling me to grow in love of him.
This is related to embracing the cross that God has given - the spiritual principle is the same: focusing on my efforts leads to discouragement, while focusing on Jesus who calls me to follow him leads to growth in the self-forgetfulness of love.
One last thought from St. Francis de Sales:
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