Secrets

"He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." ? Proverbs 28:13 (NASB)

It's easy to believe that our sins are unique to only us. Pair that with the competing thought that we are the worst of all sinners, and we begin to feel trapped. A vicious cycle then ensues:

1. We continue to commit the sin.
2. We desire to stop committing the sin.
3. We feel like what we've done is unforgivable by God and/or people.
4. We hide our sin from others, spurning community and its healing accountability.
5. Repeat steps 1-4.

Sound familiar? There are many reasons that we become a slave to this cycle. Often, we become ensnared in consistent sin because we hope to avoid the consequences that we know we deserve. Or, we might be afraid to disappoint God, our friends, our family, and others. Even worse, sometimes we become content with our sin patterns and reach a point in which we don?t desire change.

Proverbs 28:13 makes it clear?if we continue to hide our sins, we isolate ourselves and create a barrier between us and God. But, if we confess our sins, we receive mercy and healing.

Mercy and healing are truly what we least expect when we confess. We expect to be hated. We expect others to look down at us and be disappointed. We expect that others will never trust us again.

Yet, 1 John 1:9 promises us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. So when we expect judgment, we receive grace. People can surprise us, too. They are quick to love and forgive, and they desire to help us overcome our struggles.

The greatest danger to the epidemic of sin is confession and revelation. It's scary and unpredictable and that's what keeps many of us from full disclosure.

Primary text(s): Proverbs 28:13