This ancient prayer of repentance says it well.
“O Lord, forgive me my sins, the sins of my youth, and my present sins, the sin that my parents cast upon me, original sin, and the sins that I cast upon my children in an ill example; actual sins, sins which are manifest to all the world, and sins which I have so labored to hide from the world, as that now they are hid from mine own conscience, and mine own memory … Forgive me, O Lord.” — John Donne (1571-1631
Good morning, Lord. Sometimes I gloss over my sins, pretending they don’t exist. Other times, my thoughts are stuck on one sin, rehashing it endlessly and refusing to forgive myself. Teach me to make an honest inventory of my thoughts, motivations and actions, to admit my sin to myself and You, and to accept Your forgiveness and forgive myself.
