The Power of Confession
5×5×5 Bible Plan
Read: James 5
Meditation: James 5:16
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
Shift Your Focus… I don’t think James is promoting the idea that you stand up in front of the congregation and blurt out all your sins from the past week—bad words, dirty thoughts, rotten attitudes and dark deeds. While that might be quite entertaining to the rest of the folks sitting in the pews, it probably wouldn’t have the intended results James had in mind.
I suspect James is speaking of being in accountable relationships, perhaps a small group of some kind where the conditions have been cultivated for redemptive confession to take place. That is why I am a firm believer that every Christian needs a small group of two to four (perhaps a few more, but no more that eight) where relationships have developed enough that this kind of open sharing can take place.
That kind of group does not happen overnight. It takes time. It takes a track record of confidentiality. It takes the absolute certainly that your fellow group members will have your back. It has to be a safe place. It must be a place where you know that the others have your best interests in mind. And it needs to be a place where you give your spiritual partners permission to look deeply into your soul, ask you penetrating questions, and hold your feet to the fire for your spiritual walk.
Do you have a group like that? If you don’t, ask God to bring people into your life with whom you can develop that kind of community. Then do the hard work of cultivating openness and accountability with them. I have done that now for years, and would not even begin to think of doing life any other way. It is one of the activities of my week that keeps me spiritually grounded.
They (whoever “they” are) say that confession is good for the soul. That is true, but it’s good for the whole, too—the whole person. Confession and repentance will lead not only to cleansing of your heart, it will bring release to your mind and perhaps be the catalyst that speeds healing to your body. James 1:16 says,
“If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot.” (CEV)
Confession takes courage. On one level, it means to admit something that won’t put you in the best light and it could even put the regard with which people hold you at risk. Yet it is one of the most powerful agents of redemptive lift available to you. Thank God for confession.
“The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.” ~Augustine
Prayer… Lord, thank you for the people that you have brought into my life who are not afraid to look me in the eye and ask me penetrating questions about the condition of my heart. Give them the constant courage, penetrating insight, and abundant grace that I need from them to stay spiritual healthy.
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