When You Say It Out Loud

Confession feels like it should cost you something more, like God is waiting to see remorse measured out before he responds. John writes that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The words faithful and just are worth sitting with. Faithful means he does this every time, not on his better days. Just means the forgiveness is not a mood or a favor he might regret, but something settled and lawful because Christ already paid.

When you name the thing, you are not informing God of news. You are agreeing with him about what is true, and agreement is where the healing starts. Men who fall into pornography often confess in vague terms, admitting they struggled without ever saying what they did. Vagueness keeps a little of the dark. There is a mercy in being specific, in letting the actual sin come out of your mouth so it can be actually forgiven.

Tonight, if you carry something, say it plainly to God, without the softening words you usually reach for. He is faithful. He has been waiting to meet you there.