--- title: Believing Mercy description: Rose Folsom shares what she’s doing about a bad habit she just realized she has. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/2020%201202%20RFolsom%20Folsom%20DEC_425886076_F.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/believing-mercy#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # Believing Mercy Dec 2, 2020 10:00:00 AM  |  by [Rose Folsom](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/rose-folsom) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/2020%201202%20RFolsom%20Folsom%20DEC_425886076_F.jpg) *Rose Folsom shares what she’s doing about a bad habit she just realized she has.* I’m working on curing a bad habit that until yesterday I didn’t even know I had! See if you recognize the same blind spot. Whenever I do or say something that I see later may have hurt someone (or made me look really stupid), I immediately say, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” That’s not the bad part. It’s what comes next that can hold us back spiritually. Because after I pray that prayer, the thought of the moment of thoughtlessness comes right back to my memory, stronger than ever, and I pray again, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It’s a good prayer to repeat during the day, but here’s the problem: I pray it when the shame comes back again because I don’t realize that “against God alone have I sinned” and have actually received the mercy I asked him for! I just keep praying, and feeling the sting of the mis-step as if God had not heard my prayer. #### Letting go The funny thing is that after Confession, I have no problem believing that my sins are “forgotten by God” —which is such a great way to think of it! We’ve known “God forgets” ever since Jeremiah foresaw the reign of mercy in Christ: > I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sin. (Jeremiah 31:34)   But our enemy wants us to forget that. And I’ve been falling for the lie. #### The fix Here’s what we can do instead. Follow our prayer for mercy with a prayer for guidance on whether He wants to do more healing of this in Confession. Then, end with a prayer of gratitude that He is healing us — that the inexhaustible treasure of mercy won for us on Calvary really floods down on us whenever we simply ask for it. Then do a happy dance that you’re one step closer to living in the freedom of the children of God! > [CLICK TO TWEET > The inexhaustible treasure of mercy won for us on Calvary floods down on us whenever we simply ask for it. #catholicmom](https://ctt.ac/8aCfU) ![2020 1202 RFolsom DEC_425886076](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2020%201202%20RFolsom%20DEC_425886076.jpg?width=1999&name=2020%201202%20RFolsom%20DEC_425886076.jpg)   --- Copyright 2020 Rose Folsom Image: [Deposit Photos](https://depositphotos.com/425886076/stock-photo-front-view-happy-woman-wearing.html), licensed by author ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbelieving-mercy%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbelieving-mercy%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbelieving-mercy%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Believing%20Mercy) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbelieving-mercy%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbelieving-mercy%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Rose Folsom](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/ROSE%20FOLSOM.jpeg) ### [Rose Folsom](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/rose-folsom) Rose is a convert and Lay Dominican whose background as solopreneur and supervisor makes her passionate about helping professionals live virtues like humility and perseverance so they can ditch imposter syndrome and perfectionism while fully living their faith at work. Grab Rose's latest tips for growing in virtue at [VirtueConnection.com](https://virtueconnection.com). ## Related Blog Articles [ The Day I Survived Psalm 107 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/the-day-i-survived-psalm-107) [ The Lenten Trap Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/the-lenten-trap) [ 3 Cures for Gossip Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/3-cures-for-gossip) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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