“Pay attention carefully. After the sin comes the shame; courage follows repentance. Did you pay attention to what I said? Satan upsets the order; he gives the courage to sin and the shame to repentance.” (St. John Chrysostom)

When Adam and Eve sinned, they hid themselves from God. What would have happened if God did not confront them, not to condemn them, but to give them hope for a future restoration?  They had shame but also persisted in sin by accusing the other for the sin. In other words, sin leads to further sin unless we break the chain by repentance and return to the Lord with our whole heart.  Satan will continue to tempt us away from the Lord. But as often as we sin, we know that we have an Advocate before the Father who intercedes for us and extends his forgiving mercy to us.  It may help us to keep these words before us always. “God does not judge Christians because they sinned, but because they do not repent” Saint Niphon of Constantia.   Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.