confess what?
Mar 2, 2010
First, an administrative note: if you’re following along the Old Testament readings during our Inward Journey you’ll discover both Joshua and Job lack a chapter reference. Use Joshua 24 and Job 42. Otherwise plan a little extra quite time to read those entire books!
Back to confession. This weeks message Closing the Distance engaged the discipline of confession. In short, we talked about how a lack of forgiveness in our life impedes our relationship with God and others – in potentially very significant ways. It’s worth a listen if you didn’t catch it. One of the questions that arises is, “What are the sorts of things for which I need to confess and seek (or offer) forgiveness?” It’s very difficult to answer this for another person. But if, as we have suggested, we suffer from having redefined sin (as not sin) and from a lack of awareness (ignored or forgotten), how do we proceed?? Well, herein lies a central rationale for the Inward Journey…the point of many of the spiritual disciplines we hope to introduce… Come near to God, and he will come near to you (James 4:8). The Spirit of God is our counselor, comforter, guide and the convictions within our soul. When we earnestly draw nearer to God, he is gracious (yes, gracious) to show us the error in our way, the blockades in our life, the sin we need to deal with, the forgiveness we’ve failed to receive…in the order and time and magnitude that is best for you. As you read your devotional book…listen. As you read scripture…listen. As you pray…listen. He speaks. You’ll hear and know what to do. And then, again, you will need the Spirit…to strengthen you for the task. Never fear, “…I am with you always…(Matt 28:20),” in the hearing and the doing. What’s Jesus saying to you today? What’s he compelling you to do?
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:10 am
Love this.
I actually find this freeing. When I look back at the years when I was not actively walking with Him, I realize that I was immersed in satan’s lies. I was swimming in a cesspool of warped and twisted beliefs that came from satan. And because I wasn’t seeking God’s Truth, I failed to realize all the lies that surrounded me. In fact, I believed all the lies as if they were truth.
Now, as I seek God’s Truth and as I turn to Him daily in prayer, I am constantly realizing, “wait, that’s a lie,” and, “that’s another lie,” and “yep, that’s a lie, too.” And because I was living according to the lies, I was a sinful mess (I still am, but gosh, it is such a beautiful thing to be in an active relationship with a REDEEMER.) Now I can feel the Holy Spirit saying, “that was a sin and if you wouldn’t believe that lie from satan you might not have acted that way.”
This realization has given me the freedom to check myself, check my motivations and intentions, and seek God’s Truth and forgiveness as I sort through the mess that I thought was life.
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:58 pm
my question is do we need to confess to others our sin? I know we need to confess to God, but should we also be speaking our sin out loud to someone?
March 5th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Morgan, good question! And what if the person doesn’t know we sinned against him/her? I’m thinking about in the case of gossip.
March 5th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
any further thoughts Morgan? what have you found? Have you read James 5? One very serious consideration regarding confession is not “if” we confess to others, but “to whom?” Only the one we’ve wronged? An accountability partner? Your pastor? What about a confession that has the potential to “ruin” an innocent bystanders life (so to speak)?
March 10th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
just read James 5, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.”
that just answered my question. I like the accountability partner. someone that won’t sugarcoat your sinning, but keep you accountable. I don’t think you need to confess something to someone if it’s only to make you feel better, but will hurt them more than help them. I’m going to start stepping out and trying to confess more to others and also offer myself as a prayer partner. This has got me thinking….and praying! Thanks!