A couple months ago, I made an open confession to being a self-obsessed woman. Sometimes I can’t stop thinking about all the ways things should be and how to fix them. My strengths are in learning and gathering input as well as responsibility and connection. I want to find out all I can know and figure out how to apply it when it comes to living well.
For me and for you.
This can be good in many ways and with God’s help I’ll continue to refine my strengths in order to use them rightly. Hopefully, through the filter of God’s will and not my own.
Putting this confession out there felt scary. But not too scary. As a writer, blogger, and an introvert (albeit a very social one), it can be easier to write out my broken humanity to a world I can’t see than it is to state it out loud to the one person in front of me.
What’s far harder is openly confessing to God, to myself, and to someone I am in close relationship with. Especially, if I believe they might be making judgments and I become weak or less-than in their eyes.
Even so, I’m intentional about choosing the hard because I’ve tasted the fruit of it. I know what it’s like to find greater peace, joy, and freedom as a believer every time brave steps are taken to live as God asks. To get there, it requires honesty, humility, acceptance, and confession.
If we are honest with what we are thinking and feeling, as well as how we are acting, we find ourselves faced with realities which we need to accept. When we choose to confess our sins and failures, we act out of our acceptance and find the next step towards healing.
Choosing confession means choosing to admit we we are not yet who we are becoming. It’s a step of faith before our maker who sees all, knows all, and offers grace beyond measure.
Admitting our brokenness is hard. We want to be whole but only in Christ can we be made so.
Our confessions meet His compassion.
What holds us back from openly admitting when we’ve failed in some way? What keeps us from wholeheartedly apologizing for the ways in which we’ve hurt another person? What keeps us from letting go of the very thing which binds us to fear and pain?
Our pride. Our fears. Our assumptions. Our false beliefs. We might believe that by openly admitting our wrong we’ll somehow bear the wrath of God.
The truth is, Jesus already bore the wrath on our behalf. He took it all when he had no sin of his own to confess, but bore the weight of every evil born in the heart of man.
When he did so, he defeated the consequences of sin and death. He didn’t vanquish the consequences we might yet need to experience here on earth, but he completely demolished the ploys of the enemy to make us pay for eternity.
Our sins are seen in the stripes of Jesus wounds. They are forgiven because Jesus holy sacrifice meant he took our debt and paid it all. All.
Because of who He is. Because of His great compassion and His good, good plan for each one of us, we can trust our confession before God. As we do, we release the hold of the enemy to keep us in darkness and we begin to see more of God’s redemptive light.
I get it, confession is scary hard. Yet, choosing this path in our overall life journey is one which breaks away the chains and leads us into freedom.
Dear one, if you are battling with sin, whether it’s big or small, choose confession. Let God remind your heart how great his salvation was, is, and will be in redeeming you from broken places.
Father God, I feel scared to share this ugly part of me with you, much less anyone else. Give me your courage today so I may come clean before you and let my heart be renewed with your great love. I want to release this. I want to trust you. I choose to believe in you. Amen.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@theJoleneU”]Choosing confession means choosing to admit we we are not yet who we are becoming. #write31days[/tweetthis]
Once again, wise words Jolene. Your post are such a blessing.
Thank you, Corie. I’m honored to have you read and thankful you enjoy them.
Jolene, your writing…profound! Love this post! And the picture of the door, swooning in South Carolina!
XO
Tammy
You bless me so much, Tammy. Isn’t that door beautiful! I’m loving this months series of photos alone. They’ve been a lot of fun.
Hey Jolene, I love your words here. Yes confession is hard but yields such a humble and soft heart. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Oh, thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with me Julie. Hope you are doing well.