Confessions Cleansing

Confession is cleansing. It is coming clean with God. Our hearts become soiled over time and need purifying. A dirty heart is not unlike the engine of a well-driven car. The shiny washed and waxed hood can cover an engine that is baked with road film, grime and grease. The responsible and conscientious car owner will have his car detailed but also overall maintained .

This precise process cleans every nook and cranny of the car. Our hearts need the same. We need an ongoing detail job. We need God to bring back the newness of our faith and the freshness of our sensitivity to sin. The opposite of a cleansed heart is a hardened heart. We become hardened to humility. We become hardened to honesty.

We become hardened to change. We become hardened to learning. We become hardened to people. And, worst of all, we become hardened to God. This is a hard way to live. On the other hand, we can take responsibility for our sin and agree with Him about its hideous presence in our lives.

Confession is agreeing with God on what is right and what is wrong. It is admitting to the violation of one of His commands and then coming clean with Him. Confession is coming to grips with what God already knows. Confession is not new information to God, but it does remove the walls of pride that we build up.

Pride is a reason for un-confessed sin. We do not want to admit we are wrong. Confession punctures our “pride balloon”. However, this is exactly what needs to happen. Pride needs to be deflated and replaced with humility. There are many benefits to confession, and this is just one of them. Confession lifts guilt and gives you a jolt of joy.

Oh the freedom of a clear conscience! You do not have to rack your brain in remembrance of past offenses that you continue to cover up. Your energy is freed to sow righteousness rather than try to keep a lid on sin. Unconfessed sin does not go away. It will come out one way or another. It may manifest itself in your health and or your attitude, but it will not remain hidden.

The greatest benefit of confession is our reengagement with God. What a lonely place it is to be estranged from your heavenly Father. He is daily waiting for you to turn to Him and set the relationship straight. A fractured friendship with your best friend can be deeply painful. Confession begins the relational healing process.

Confession to God may lead to confession with people. Sometimes this is harder because certain people may not forgive you. However, your confession to another may free them to do the same. Confession is disarming. It gives others the freedom to open up and not fear condemnation. Confession gives you the moral authority to mentor, lead, parent and teach others.

Your posture becomes one of weakness and dependence on God and people, instead of prideful power and the cover up of sin. Confession is healing. The wounds, sometimes deep wounds, that you have unknowingly inflicted or received begin to heal with the ointment of confession. Come clean today with God and others. Then, watch the power of confession draw you closer to God and closer to people!

Taken from Dose 39 in the 90-day devotional book Infusion.

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