Can people not misuse the sacrament of confession by continuing to sin and hoping to confess afterwards.

For Confession to be valid one should repent of their sins and make a firm resolution not to sin again. The disposition one should have is ‘death rather sin’. 

As we know sin separates us from God. One who continues to sin hoping to confess afterwards will eventually stop going for confession and plunge deeper into sin. So we cannot deceive God but only ourselves, that too with dangerous consequences.

Having said that one who goes for confession is better than one who stays away from it though the motivations are still imperfect. More than us, God wants to draw us closer to Him, wash us clean and shower us with his peace, joy and life. His mercy is unlimited. So let us encourage ourselves and others to frequent the sacrament of confession which unburdens our soul and gives it wings to fly unto the warm embrace of the heavenly Dad.