Good for Your Soul

They say that confession is good for the soul.  But isn’t it hard to admit when you’ve done something wrong or disobeyed or even just ignored someone out of spite or indifference? I remember that song by the musical group, Chicago: Hard to Say I’m Sorry. 

It's hard for me to say I'm sorry
I just want you to know
Hold me now
I really wanna tell you I'm sorry
I could never let you go
… After all that we've been through
I will make it up to you, I promise to

Sounds like a guy really struggling to admit he was wrong.  Why is that?  Why is it so hard to admit our wrongs, our faults, our sins?  Perhaps pride?  

No one ever wants to appear as lesser than another.

But that’s exactly what Jesus Christ did for everyone.  He loved us so much that God became a lesser being. In the form of both God and man, Jesus humbled himself and came to earth to die in our place to cover for our sins so that we may be made right again with God.

Wow. Do you know anyone who would be willing to die for you?

Knowing that God loves me so much that he willing sacrificed himself for me, though undeserved, is really humbling.  In gratitude of knowing that, I’m trying to make a better effort in my life to admit my wrongs and my faults to both God and the people around me.  But sometimes it’s hard. It’s easy to slip back into old habits and close myself off.  The irony is that when I do finally admit them, I feel better.  A burden has been lifted.  

The best way to remember what I need to do that I’ve found is again to let God speak to me through His Word.  Here’s just a few examples of what I mean.  

• Confess your faults to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16)

• For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:23-24) 

• But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9)

• When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. (Psalm 32:3)

• But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)


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