I'm so confused by this word, and not in the sense of not being and able to define it. I know what it means.. well solely by itself. Every time I see this word it always leads me to actions, but I am quickly halted because it sparks in me the need to define the action. If you know me, ( which you should if you are reading this) I am completely analytical.
Questions arise like:
- What should this look like?
-Who should you confess things to?
- How often do you confess?
Those are just a few stumbling blocks along the road. I have been reading " Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and he brings up some great points about living within community and the act of confession. He says, " A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person." Don't get me wrong, our first confession is to humbly bow at the feet of Christ, but in community we must confess to our brother or sister in the hope that they will walk along side us.
So where does that leave us.. I guess more specifically where does that leave me.. I guess I could say that I have completely changed my mindset, and am ready to practice this spiritual discipline, but thats not the case all the time. I think in my life pride starts to show up and it tells me I am suppose to look a certain way, and of course that look goes against what I presently look like, so the confusion and frustration sets in.
Break..
On the other side of confession is the freedom that it produces. In Bonhoeffer's " Cost of Discipleship" He says sin boldly, ( not without regard for grace) but in the sense that we fiercely approach our Lord because He is willing and able to handle our problems. There is freedom in knowing that we are all a mess and we can't help ourselves, and that the only one who can is Jesus. We confess to our brother in hopes that he would partner with us in confessing the ugliness of our hearts in light of the goodness of God. Oh man, to speak of my sin in order that the goodness of my Saviour would shine through! I want to walk in that, and it starts today..
Questions arise like:
- What should this look like?
-Who should you confess things to?
- How often do you confess?
Those are just a few stumbling blocks along the road. I have been reading " Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and he brings up some great points about living within community and the act of confession. He says, " A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person." Don't get me wrong, our first confession is to humbly bow at the feet of Christ, but in community we must confess to our brother or sister in the hope that they will walk along side us.
So where does that leave us.. I guess more specifically where does that leave me.. I guess I could say that I have completely changed my mindset, and am ready to practice this spiritual discipline, but thats not the case all the time. I think in my life pride starts to show up and it tells me I am suppose to look a certain way, and of course that look goes against what I presently look like, so the confusion and frustration sets in.
Break..
On the other side of confession is the freedom that it produces. In Bonhoeffer's " Cost of Discipleship" He says sin boldly, ( not without regard for grace) but in the sense that we fiercely approach our Lord because He is willing and able to handle our problems. There is freedom in knowing that we are all a mess and we can't help ourselves, and that the only one who can is Jesus. We confess to our brother in hopes that he would partner with us in confessing the ugliness of our hearts in light of the goodness of God. Oh man, to speak of my sin in order that the goodness of my Saviour would shine through! I want to walk in that, and it starts today..
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