The Power of Confession

So I have something to confess and that’s this……umm…I don’t like to confess.  It’s true.  I find it tough to tell the truth sometimes.

I think of all the reasons why I shouldn’t.  I run all possible scenarios of how my truth-telling could go wrong.  I imagine what awful things others may think of me and then I stay quiet.

I don’t just save this struggle with confession to those around me, I also struggle with telling the truth in my relationship with God.  He knows you and I completely and loves us still and yet I struggle with confessing the truth of where I’m at, of how I’m feeling.  Anyone else?

I choose to keep the truth of what’s going on to myself hidden and in so doing, I choose to stay stuck.  I choose to stay alone.  I choose to stay in shame.  I choose to stay in the dark.

I am wondering if maybe you make this same choice?  As I examine myself and I look around at this world we are living in, it seems like many may struggle with confession. In simply telling the real story.

While, I think we all long to be known, we also fear that if others knew the real us, they would run the other direction or maybe think less of us or worst case scenario, simply discard us.

There is something about confession that causes us to have to acknowledge the truth. Once it’s out of the mouth, it can no longer be ignored.  Once it’s been spoken, it’s time to own it.  Once the confession is made, the facade is gone and we are vulnerable to the response we will receive.

I think this is a lot of the reason why many of us choose not to confess, because we fear the response, we fear what the truth may require and let that override the truth that although, people may try to fix us and may even judge us, most likely they will still love us.

They will love us and we will be known and free.  Telling the truth, let’s the light in.  There is power in confession!  It breaks the lies that we’ve believed.  It shakes off the shame we’ve been carrying around.  It allows us to be known for the truth of all that we are.

Our willingness to confess the truth to God and others is key to freedom not only for ourselves but for those around us who need someone who is imperfect and scared and yet willing to tell the truth anyway.

My hope and prayer for you and me today is that we will have courage to be real, to show up as we are and that we will bravely confess the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and yes, please help us God!