The Joy of Confession

Contributors

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Any Catholics out there?  Do you remember your “First Confession”?  Kinda’ strange, right?  I remember walking into the room, staring at my shuffling feet, while trying to recall all the bad stuff I’d done (particularly to my older brother, Justin, who deserved every bit of it, of course).

Looking back, I wasn’t sure what the heck I was doing or why I was doing it but I have found that there is something special, even vital, to the value and practice of confession that I think we are losing.

Ambiguity won’t be helpful in an article on confession though, so let me be specific.  I was struggling with masturbation, pornography, a bit of lying, anger, and what I like to call “I think I’m awesome” issues.  Now, before you say (or think) something along the lines of, “Wow, this dude is screwed up,” please hear me out.

I worked hard to manage and conceal my sin, but it just didn’t work.  Overwhelmed, I eventually confessed everything to my friend, Marc.  To my surprise, instead of wagging his finger, he began to share his sin!  Marc then invited me into a group of guys that met weekly for the purpose of confession and pursuing holiness for the glory of God.   As I was vulnerable about the sin in my life with these men, God taught me about confession.

1.     We get to know ourselves more.

Sexual sin was the most visible issue in my life but my heart was home to all kinds of sin.  The Holy Spirit showed me how I did not truly believe that through Jesus, God’s love for me was unconditional, but rather that I had to earn it.  Furthermore, He revealed how conditional my love was for others. My anger issues stemmed from a heart that expected others to oblige my will, and when they didn’t I had no grace to spare because I didn’t understand God’s love and grace in my own life.  Coming to grips with who I really was marked the beginning of the true life that Jesus had for me.

2.     We get to know God more.

One day I was walking with my pastor, Tom Weaver, of Logos Community Church.  “Tom, can we stop for a second?”   I began to confess all this sin to him and the most unexpected thing happened.  Tom looked into my eyes, smiled, and said, “Nick, I want you to know how much I love you no matter what you’ve done or what you’ll do.”  His words hit me like a freight train and tears began to flow as I began to grasp, as if for the first time, the reality of God’s unconditional love for me.

3.     We get to know others more.

As I confessed, others started to open up to me and I had the opportunity to learn about them and their sin.  I simply can’t explain to you how deep of a bond you form with people when you know one another for who you truly are and still express love towards them while also encouraging them towards righteousness.

4.     We experience freedom.

Confession helps to bring freedom from sin, shame, and secrecy.   I finally felt free to own that I’m a sinner!  I don’t mean “free” in that I had license to live in peace with my sin, but “free” to be myself without the fear of condemnation.  There are consequences to sin and hardships in working through it, but there is true freedom that comes with confession in light of God’s forgiveness and love.

5.     We experience joy.

Our joy overflows when we confess.  The more we get to know ourselves, God, and others and the more freedom, grace, and love we experience, the more joy we have.