Growth-Stopper: Failing to Confess Sins

"I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." (Psalm 32:5)

A key element in practicing resurrection, growing up as a follower of Jesus Christ, is not only to cultivate our lives so they are receptive to the growth only God provides, but also to pull the weeds--to take seriously whatever keeps us from growing. Here's one: failing to confess our sins and receive forgiveness.

Even non-Christians have heard that Jesus forgives, no matter what we've done, no matter how bad it is, and no matter for how long we've done it. And it's true. His love and faithfulness are everlasting. But clearly there is a difference between a gift offered to us and a gift received. Jesus always offers forgiveness, but we don't always receive it because to take it means we admit we need it. So, confessing our sins and repenting is not something we do to earn forgiveness; it is simply a description of what it means to reach out and receive it.

Yet, we don't need this gift just once. When we cross from death to life by leaving self-righteousness behind and embracing God's righteousness supplied for us in Christ, our identity is changed once for all. We become forgiven sinners, fully adopted children of God. And so we find security in God's family, even though there will be times when we do not live like the sons and daughters we are. That's when our Heavenly Father disciplines us out of love. And that's where we need to come clean with Him through confession.

No parent would think it's sufficient for their son or daughter to say, "You said you'd always love me. So, let me just say now that I'm sorry for whatever wrongs I might do for the rest of my life. I'm glad to know I'm already forgiven." Our sins must be dealt with particularly, as individually as possible. Just as overloading a washing machine with laundry keeps the clothes from really coming clean, so we must not give blanket statements regarding our sin: "Lord, whatever I did wrong this past week, please forgive me." Instead, we should be (using the washing metaphor) pinpointing the stains so God can spot-clean them. That means intentional confession.

David experienced this many times, and wrote about in Psalm 32. He first tried to ignore the problem: "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." (Psalm 32:3-4)

This kind of denial and avoidance is a definite growth-stopper, or at least a growth inhibitor. David does what we must do: he gives in and confesses. "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." (Psalm 32:5-6)

When we know we have sinned is the time to pray and confess. That's when we will seek and find God.

How about you? How do your prayers of confession look and sound? Generic or particular? An after-thought in prayer, or a first priority to keep the flow of Jesus' Life in you uninhibited?