This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:5-9

Upon first glance, a single parasite, pest, or diseased cell doesn’t seem so bad. But left alone, it grows, festers, and multiplies until the plant is eventually killed. For those who follow Jesus, sins of any size or manner can harm our relationship with God in the same way. Sometimes, that harm can go unseen for a long time. Regular confession is a necessary and good thing for our souls.

The difficult truth is that even though we know confession is a good thing to do, we often don’t want to embrace the practice of it. We rationalize, excuse, or deny the things in our hearts that do not align with God’s will. We think to ourselves, “its not so bad.” We hide something in the dark, because it is easier than stepping into the light.

Jesus died on the cross so that we could receive freedom from sin. When we fail to confess our sins, we reject that opportunity to step into freedom. We think we are taking the easy way out, but we are doing more harm to ourselves in the long run. Yet, when we do confess, we open ourselves to the healing light of God’s grace. We receive nourishment for our souls, and we can grow once again.

Growth Challenge

Make time for confessional prayer. As you begin, ask the Lord to help you be honest with yourself and with him. Then go through these steps in prayer:

-Acknowledge God’s holiness and your general need for God’s grace in your life (Isaiah 64:6).
-Confess any specific sins that you are already aware of (1 John 1:9).
-Ask God’s light to pierce through any defenses or blind-spots you have (Psalm 139:23-24), and then ask these questions of the Lord:
-Are there any parts of my life that I am holding back from you?
-Who do I have a broken relationship with, or who have I hurt recently?
-Is there anything else I need to confess to you?
-Ask for God’s grace and forgiveness for everything you have confessed. -Claim that forgiveness, and trust in God’s love for you (Romans 8:38-39).

As you conclude your prayer time, commit to obeying whatever the Lord has asked you to do as a result of this prayer time.