Overcoming Past Mistakes

The Role of Remorse, Reflection, and Resolve

Reading time: 1 minute

We often return to actions we know are wrong for three primary reasons.

First, over time, we naturally forget the feeling of remorse when we remember our mistakes.

This lack of renewed remorse weakens our perceived severity of the wrong action.

If not firmly acknowledged, certain traits can resurface and influence our thoughts and actions without us noticing.

This often happens with negative characteristics of our inherent nature, such as envy or lust.

These traits slowly integrate within us, slipping unnoticed because of their deep roots in our hearts.

Therefore, renewing our remorse and remaining vigilant about our heart condition is crucial.

The second reason lies in our tendency to revisit the past.

When we recall a memory or imagine a scenario, our brain processes it similarly to how it perceives real experiences, unable to distinguish between reality and imagination.

Reflecting on our sins and attempting to learn from them can be dangerous unless we latch onto our remorse and develop a contempt for the action.

If we fail to harbor this contempt, we may remember those actions with a strange fondness, especially if they were temporarily pleasurable.

The remnants of that pleasure can sneak in, making us feel that strange sweetness again.

Lastly, the third reason stems from overconfidence or our positive impression of ourselves after repentance.

Once we have sought forgiveness and feel we have improved, we might fall into the trap of returning to the same environment that led to wrongdoing previously.

This is usually done to 'test ourselves' or assert that we now have the strength to resist such actions.

However, returning to places and people associated with past behaviors triggers memories and associations linked to those behaviors.

These cues activate the brain's neural pathways, making it challenging to resist relapse.

From fading remorse to the allure of familiar environments, each challenge tests our resolve.

Through self-awareness and vigilance, we can transcend these struggles.

By renewing our commitment to humility and contempt for wrongdoing, we fortify ourselves against relapse.

Reflection:

Think about a du’a you’ve been making recently. How can you revise your du’a to align with the principles shared?

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