James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Does this scripture apply to you today? Why do we need to confess? Do we confess our sins to each other so the Lord will forgive us? Didn’t Jesus already die for my sins and now nothing can separate me from His Love?
I believe with all of my heart that this scripture is for today as much as it was for the day that James inscribed it on his tablets. However, this scripture was never meant to pertain to forgiveness. It is talking about being healed. Of course the Lord will forgive- it is a promise He has made that was sealed with His very life. Confession is purely for the sinner to find health. If we keep all of our thoughts, ungodly cravings, and temptations to ourselves, it will only be a matter of time until we are not strong enough to withstand the pull of these painful acts. When we take the time to confess what we struggle with, it will invite God’s holiness into the situation; like light into a dark room. This will not be a comfortable transition, but it is a necessary step in fighting the schemes of the Enemy. For a moment, think about those times when you wake up early in the morning. Your eyes have been closed all night and they are used to the darkness. That is, until someone walks in the room and flips on the light. In that moment your brain feels pain and your eyes will wince as they attempt to adjust to the extra doses of light that are present. This is exactly what happens when we begin being honest and confessing our sins. The light is turned on and, though it is a little painful, all can be seen and future problems can be avoided. Can you imagine if you have been living the darkness for more than a night? Imagine it has been 20 years of darkness and now it is time to light up the room. At first, it is going to hurt, but the Lord has a way of taking the pain and bringing comfort in its place. It is through the displaying of who one really is that healing for the soul will take place. Just imagine all of the things you will not have to trip over when you can see where you are walking!
Now a note to the one who just heard the confession…
Let’s say you just sat with your best friend and they confided in you the shortcomings they have struggled with. Some of them may be hurtful towards you or you may find yourself shocked at what is going on beyond the façade that you have watched every day. Your response to the honesty is almost as important as the confession itself. You will need to be honest and upfront about how you feel and what you think. It is at that moment that your chance for honesty has arrived. This is also where forgiveness is looked at and is granted. The miracle of confession does not result in all of the problems disappearing. The result is truth. There still will be temptations and difficulty from day to day. However, the strength of that craving will be much weaker and can be dealt with as you stand with your friend in prayer and support. Too many times people confess sin and it turns into a time of shock, fear and judgment instead of the healing that God intended. If we are honest with ourselves, we will be forced to admit that we are as broken as the person sharing their failures. My encouragement is for you to take the opportunity to be honest yourself about some of your own areas of secrecy and pain.
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