Confession
Psalm 32 is a king's invitation to try confession, something that helped him heal deep, life-threatening spiritual wounds:
Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. (Ps. 32:2-6)
Hiding something? Do you need to confess a wrong to a friend or family member who has been estranged from you? Has sin been dogging your tracks? Try confession.
Confession is brave. The three hardest words to say in the English language are "I have sinned." Why did David wait so long to confess his sin with Bathsheba? Why did he wait while his "bones wasted away" and he "groaned" and his "strength was dried up as by the heat of summer?" Because it is not easy to admit you have done terrible things. The devil wants you to think that is the wrong thing to do, that it will make you weaker. But he is wrong.
Confession is eye-opening. In The Republic Plato tells the allegory of the Cave. In it, people live facing a blank wall of a cave all their lives. The people watch shadows projected on the wall by things passing in front of a fire behind them and begin to designate names to these shadows. The shadows are as close as the prisoners get to viewing reality. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows are not reality, but people and things are casting them on the wall. It is a stunning revelation.
The sinner refusing to confess is facing his own wall of fear and shame. He or she does not believe there is life beyond guilt and trying to hide one's sins. Those who break free from this skepticism go through an eye-opening experience.
Confession is an invitation to love. What happens when you confess, when you tell the worst thing about you to another person, or to God, and everything comes out in the open? You may be surprised, although you have seen it happen with others many times before. When the worst is told, your true friends and loyal brothers and sisters in Christ are still there. They still love you. And most importantly, God, who already knew everything, still loves you. Those old relationships continue, only they grow stronger, because you are not using all your energies to hide what you have done. You can begin to heal.
Confession is liberating. David said, "You forgave the iniquity of my sin." He was set free from the slavery of sin.
Sin only has power over you as long as you allow it that power. Confession breaks the chains of sin and sets you free.
The forgiveness that comes through confession and repentance is a privilege that belongs only to children of God (1 John 1:9).
However, if you are not a child of God, you may become one by obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38). All your sins will be washed away, and you will join a great, supportive family of support who, like you, have learned the joy and peace that comes through forgiveness.
Drew Kizer