To confess and be rid of our guilt of sin is to do three things with our sin:
- Recognize sin for what it is in God's eyes - to confess literally means to call our sin the same thing God does.
- Get rid of our secrets and be honest with another Christian about that sin.
- Receive prayer from a righteous disciple of Jesus and receive forgiveness and healing from that sin.
James' language is powerful and clear. He wants us not only to experience forgiveness, but he also wants us to be healed from our past sins. Rather than hide, rationalize, dismiss, or ignore our sin, James and his brother Jesus want us to embrace God's path to full healing. Let's confess our sins to one another so we can be healed!
Holy Father, I have sinned. I now confess my own personal sin of ____________. I ask for your forgiveness and for your Spirit to strengthen me in overcoming temptation. I want to live for you and not let my sin, present or past, entangle me and draw me away from you. In addition, dear Father, I commit to confess this sin with at least one righteous and spiritual friend who will pray with me for my forgiveness and healing, as well as walk beside me as I walk away from this sin. I pray and am determined to follow through with this commitment to honor you and discover your healing grace. Amen.
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