January Series Study Guide - Day 23

Confession

Read James 5:16, Psalm 32:5 & Psalm 51

We have heard the argument often. Why do I need to confess if I am already forgiven? Why do I need to confess to others if I can go straight to God? Confession restores joy! Even though we’re forgiven, we still feel sad. Confession forces us to live in humility. God desires for us to come to him broken and we know too well that you can’t fix something that isn’t broken. Lastly, confession brings us freedom from guilt. Even though we are forgiven, we may still experience guilt. God promises to lift that guilt and bring peace. Do we want to be free?

Q: Consider walking through the 10 commandments (Exodus 20) and consider where you might need to confess sins in each of the following commandments?

Q: What do we learn about the heart of confession from David’s prayer in Psalm 51?

Q: Do you have trusted friends that you feel comfortable sharing specific sins to? How can you create vulnerability in a relationship that will facilitate confession more easily?

Q: How can you better incorporate the practice of confession in your spiritual walk?