October 29th
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 NKJV
This verse gives us simple and powerful guidance on the need to confess our sin instead of covering it up. If we are covering up our sins, we will not prosper in life. When we confess our sin and turn from it, we will find God’s mercy.
The Bible directs us to confess our sins both to God and to other believers in Christ. 1 John 1:9 NIV states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” James 5:16 NIV states, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Confession not only brings forgiveness and purification, but also healing.
Secrecy can be very tempting to us, especially when it may allow our favorite sin to continue. It also enables us to live behind a façade. For example, for years I lived behind the façade of a good Christian, a successful salesman and a faithful husband. Nobody but God and I knew that I was committing adultery in my heart with countless women each week via internet porn. Exposing the secret sin to my wife, friends and family was initially painful, largely because it involved killing the façade I had worked so hard to maintain. Once the truth was out, I no longer had to live under the fear of being found out.
If there are sins that you are covering up from others, please take action to start bringing the sin out into God’s light. If you ask him to, he will give you courage to destroy any facades you’ve made and bring yourself into alignment with truth. Your confession will herald the beginning of God’s new blessings in your life – forgiveness, cleansing, prosperity, peace and healing.
Questions for further thought:
Can unconfessed sin affect our health? (Psalm 38:3-8,18, Psalm 32:3-5)
When someone confesses their sin to you, what should you do? (Galatians 6:1-5)
How did Jesus respond to people who confessed to him during his ministry on earth? (Luke 5:8-11, John 8:3-12)
Why does God require us to confess our sins?
Prayer:
“Holy God, Please reveal any areas of secret sin that I’ve been keeping in my life. I confess any secret sin to you now and I turn away from it to follow you wholeheartedly. Please forgive me for this sin and cleanse my conscience from its dead works. Please show me the people that I need to confide in regarding my secret sin and give me courage to follow through on this. I submit myself to your leadership. You are my Lord and I am your son. I will no longer tolerate deceit in my heart toward you or the people I know. Lord, thank you for the blessings and prosperity that will come to me as a result of living in truth. I praise you, now and forever. Amen.”