Discipleship - September 2007GRACEThe Grace of Confession that leads to Righteousness “He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake” Psalm 23: 3 A mauve sofa We’ve all stained the sofa! Confession is not about trying to pry mercy from God’s fingers like prying a bone from a dog. It’s about being healed and changed.
How do we practise confession in a way that begins to heal and transform our soul? 1. Preparation: Ask the Holy Spirit to shine His light into your life. 2. Self-Examination: Proverbs 16: 25 Reflect on your thoughts, words and actions. Admit where you’ve sinned. “Without apology and without defense we ask to see what is truly in us. It is for our good, for our healing, for our happiness” “Prayer” Richard Foster Confession should be specific and concrete. Confession also involves taking responsibility To confess means to own up to the fact that my behaviour wasn’t just the result of bad parenting, circumstances or a chemical imbalance. Somewhere in the mix there was a choice and I made it. It doesn’t need to be excused, needs to be forgiven. 1 John 1: 8-9 3. Perception We need to see our sin with new eyes, new understanding. When did I depart from the path of righteousness and why? Sin is often tied to some need. If I don’t address those needs properly I’ll go on sinning. 4. A new feeling True confession involves entering into the pain of the one I’ve hurt and into God’s pain over sin. This is “godly sorrow”. 2 Corinthians 7: 10 It pushes me to change and grow But you need to know yourself. 5. A new resolve Confession also involves my intentions about the future This was Zaccheus’ story. Luke 19: 8 Genuine confession involves a sincere intention. 6. Healing Grace God-honouring confession should begin in sorrow and end in joy. Psalm 30: 11-12 The Mission Confession: Through it we feel the weight and pain of our burden and through it we come face to face with the Only One who can set us free. 1 John 1: 8-9 Psalm 103: 1-5, 8-12 |