What we cover up, God uncovers. What we uncover, God covers.
One of the key lessons for our spiritual life is confession. Confession means to agree with. When I confess my sin, my weakness, my pride–I am telling the truth before God. Agreeing with God.
“When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:3-5 (NLT). David, the author of Psalm 32, who had a pretty good list to confess, after covering up–uncovered his life and God covered him with His mercy, forgiveness, grace, power and clear conscience, and all the wonderful benefits that God has for every single one of us.
“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” Psalm 32:1-2 (NLT). David experienced the blessings that follow confession. In the Bible, blessed means more than receiving a few good things. Blessed means deep fulfillment. Look at who blessing comes to: The forgiven. What David is saying is: The most fulfilled life belongs to the people who have been deeply forgiven.
How do we tell the truth before God? How do we pray and confess our sins to God?
Make an about-face and go the other way
“People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Proverbs. 28:13 (NLT). In the Bible, making an about-face and going the other way is called repentance. Repentance means we confess our sins, we agree with God, but we don’t stop there. We make a turn from the direction we are going and go the opposite way.
When we are covering up, we won’t be thinking right. David received the truth, confessed, he repented and began to do what God wanted him to do.
Everytime we come to church we receive the truth. When we read scripture, we receive truth. And when we confess and repent, we start to move toward the things that God has for us in our lives.
Ask God to help you obey
“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:25 (NLT) Be sure you confess–you’ll be blessed in the forgiveness you receive. But continue the process of repentance–do what God wants you to do. Walk by the Spirit of God being guided, strengthened, corrected, encouraged and realize God is changing you from the inside out.
You have a choice: To live life covered up or to confess before God.
