Monday, September 04, 2006

Confession

I started reading 1 John this morning and this verse jumped out at me

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

Admitting to a wrong is never easy. It takes a lot of courage to admit you were wrong and in this case, not just wrong, but have sinned. Maybe that’s why it’s so important. It forces you to face what you’ve done and own up to it. Not always an easy task, facing the truth, ugly as it can sometimes be. If I remember correctly one of my lecturers said that confessing is saying about your sin what God says about it.

On second thought I think it takes more than courage sometimes to own up to your mistakes, it takes relationship. When you know God intimately you know He wants to forgive you. It’s hard, because you know you’ve disappointed Him but the desire to make things right overrides any other emotion.

The beauty about this is that it is cathartic. When we confess, God cleans and heals. He doesn’t leave us broken and wounded. He binds up our wounds and puts us back together, the way He would have us to be.

1 comment:

Just Me said...

Hey! Funny to be reading this post at this time!! ( No coincidences with God eh?!!) I just came back from sitting with a couple of dear dear friends, who I had inadvertedly offended. Yes my heart was pounding and I was nervous, but I knew they have the Father's Heart..and if I went and took responsibility, that they were give love..and forgiveness. The first step was realising I had done wrong...the next step was facing it and going to them. And yes..it hurts..but then doesn't our flesh always hurt when we crucify it?? Ahhh...but it feels so good afterwards! FREEDOM!! AGain..love you posts - they always speak to me!