Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 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. Psalm 32:1-4 (ESV)
Golf truly is a game of inches. Once the ball leaves the clubface, we have no control of the bounce or where it will come to rest. Missing the mark can leave our golf ball in the pit of disaster.
Oftentimes our day to day lives might feel the same. We miss the mark (sin) and disconnection, harm, pain is the result.
The good news is we have a path towards repair with God and others. Let’s peek into Psalm 32 and see what we learn from King David.
David begins by proclaiming there is blessing, or happiness, for those whose sins are forgiven and covered (a price which pays for it). David was talking about himself. He recognized the goodness of the Lord’s mercy upon his own sins and failures.
David also described the seriousness of what happened when he kept his sin secret. His body physically suffered. His spirit groaned. A heavy burden weighed down on him. He described himself as wasting away, alienated from the Lord.
But confession was the turning point for David, and we need to take notice. Confession is agreeing with God by admitting our wrongs, acknowledging our warped human nature, and naming our willful rebellion against others and God.
Skye Jethani says, “Confession is a discipline that is for our good.” God doesn’t need our confession to change his heart. When we are willing to be honest about our hurtful words, behaviors, and rebellion, we move towards a more authentic relationship with God.
Confession isn’t spewing off a list of wrongs. It’s a conversation. It’s a heart check. It’s a vulnerable space where we ask God to help change us. It’s where we feel discomfort that ultimately leads to emotional, spiritual, and relational growth.
As followers of Jesus, our transgressions (sins) are covered by the price Jesus paid on the cross. We have forgiveness once and for all by confessing that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 16:6).
But this doesn’t mean we can remain stagnant in sinful behaviors or patterns. We must nurture our relationship with God through confession, being more honest on the many ways we fall short of his desires for us.
Ongoing confession is a perspective shift that says, “Here I am God, all of me – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thank you for your forgiveness and help me to mature and become more Jesus-centered in all the areas of my life.”
Prayer: Lord, help me to see the areas of my life that need my confession. Thank you for your forgiveness and restoration.