Unshackled Moments ~ January 3 ~ Time To Confess

He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

- Psalm 28:13

We've realized there are things that we struggle with that we can't control, came to believe that God has the power to free us and surrendered the fight to Him. Then we took an honest look with His help at who we are, who we've been and what we need to exorcise from our life. Now it's time to get seriously serious, time to confess.

It's almost un-American to suggest such a thing. It goes against how we perceive our rights. Well, there is a way to approach that part of the problem. It is to accept the concept that we don't really have any rights. If we have truly surrendered our will and lives to the Lordship of Christ, then we are His servants to command. We obey. Period. Boy that sticks in the craw sometimes doesn't it? The only rights that we have are the rights that He gives us.

Those are some pretty awesome rights. We have the right to go right into the presence of God and fellowship with Him. We have the right to be His child. And we also have the right not to remain silent. That's right. We have the right not to remain silent. That's a miraculous blessing.

It's human nature to try to hide our sin, even Adam and Eve tried. The more spiritual we want to be, the more tempting it can be to keep our dirty laundry out of sight. Wouldn't it hurt our witness if people realize that we struggle with darkness and our carnal human nature even after we've become a Christian? Well no. It's not the struggle that hurts the witness. It's the surrender to sin that does. People hide the dirt, and it becomes a fertile ground for shame. And shame cripples us.

You can't step out and do such and such for God! What will people say when they realize you did such and such, when they learn that you are a this or that? Yes, God knows. We've honestly looked at ourselves and we know God knows. But for some reason God decided that wasn't enough. He made it a part of grace, which is the power to be free, and a part of healing to confess our sins, our mistakes and our screw ups to another person.

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 

- James 5:16

Confession to another person sets us free from fear and shame and the threat the enemy holds over us that keeps us powerless to serve God freely and courageously. There is no more, what if people find out? It also requires we put spiritual pride to death and humble ourselves. It gives someone the ability to encourage us, pray for our healing, and to hold us accountable to our commitment to surrender our will and way to God. It enables our healing, frees us, and puts a powerful weapon in our hand. We overcome bondage and the enemy by the blood of the Lamb (Christ) and the word of our testimony (our story, the sharing in the light what would normally be hidden in shame for the glory of God).

Now, we mustn't be foolish about it. Some things we should speak with to only one or two trusted people that have the spiritual life we respect and see the work of God in. We don't free ourselves at the expense of others, so we don't shout from the rooftops things that would hurt others. But there needs to be one or two that know us and can keep our struggle in prayer and hold us accountable.

It sounds scary, and it is. But is an amazing freedom when it's done. We find ourselves so much lighter. There is rest from the burden that those who must go through their life hiding their secret shame can never know. Yes, praise God, we have to grace and the right not to remain silent.

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