Confess and Receive

As Christians, it can be tempting to attribute all of our suffering to the enemy or the brokenness of the world. While both of those things can certainly have a huge impact, we must remember that our own decisions can also be a factor. If we want to cultivate humility and maturity, we can’t ignore our weaknesses and shortcomings. Sometimes the difficult parts of our lives are the result of our own poor decisions.

Most of us have rebelled against God in one way or another. In seasons of rebellion, we often experience emotional pain because our sin has caused separation between us and God. We know in our hearts that we’ve done something wrong, and we are in pain because we’ve chosen a path that doesn’t align with God’s character or purposes. Psalm 32 is a beautiful expression of how healing starts with confession. God pursues us while we are entrenched in sin, and He draws us to confession. His pursuit of our hearts does not excuse our behavior; rather, it causes us to humbly accept His mercy and depend upon His grace.

Confession cannot happen without humility. We must be willing to lay ourselves bare and give an honest account of our wrongdoing. We must be willing to admit that we are far from perfect and are in desperate need of God’s grace. Without humility, we won’t understand our need for God, and we won’t pursue Him as the only antidote for our lack.

There is great freedom to be found in the confession of sin. When you aren’t weighed down by the burden of your mistakes, you will experience a lightness that cannot come from anything else. When you confess your sins, God is faithful to forgive them. Not only that, but He puts your sin out of sight, and He removes your debts from His record. One of His greatest gifts is that you can trust Him with your struggles and the rebellion of your heart.

If the idea of confession fills you with fear, it might be time to think about your perception of God. Do you see Him as a kind, merciful Father, or do you see Him as a tyrant who demands perfection? Do you think He is waiting for you to mess up, or do you understand that He is eager for you to run to him despite your flaws? Remember that you are not the exception to God’s incredible mercy. You are His beloved child who He longs to embrace.