The Lost Art of Confession

I took some time off from blogging, not just in the last month, but for much of 2009.  

I got deeply immersed in twitter (and still am), but some ideas can't be captured in 140 characters or less. I'd love to develop a dialogue here again, and if you're up for it, so am I.

I spend some extra time this morning praying and spent some time confessing my sins.  True confession: I don't confess my sins well. I need to do it more often and more thoroughly.  It seems far easier for me to ask God for things or pray about things than it does to honestly confess my shortcomings and trust Him to provide forgiveness and the grace to change.

Tell me if you think I'm wrong, but when I read people's tweets I don't see a lot of humility (and I likely don't see enough in my own).  Rarely do we as Christians show our vulnerability, dependence on God or need for Him.  It's easier to pretend we have it nailed and others need to change.  In fact, that is the posture of many preachers and leaders today.  If we had more humility in the church, we'd have more Jesus and less of us in the mix.  How could that hurt the church?

I so need to do more confession...more quantity and quality.  Confession is a gift from God, based on grace, that can help in so many areas.

• It is the basis of salvation - what got us back with God will keep us back with God.
• It's the key to dependence - I don't need to depend on God if I'm depending on myself. 
• It's a powerful way to grow self-awareness which is the key to transformation - I can't change what I can't see, and God won't change what I won't acknowledge.
• It helps me see other people's points of view more clearly - when I see my own shortcomings I can see the value of Christ and his work in others more clearly.
• You're only confessing what God - and often everybody else - already knows is a problem. 
• It leads to greater humility and to greater- Christ-likeness  
• It makes me a better leader - leaders who understand their weaknesses are much better able to lead dependent on Christ. 

Humility is so attractive in others, and confession leads to greater humility. But while humility is attractive in others, it makes me feel like I'm going to die 1000 deaths, which is likely what God needs me to do to allow him to control my life.  I think that's why it's a struggle to confess deeply, regularly and honestly.  So I am going to resolve to go much deeper in my prayers of confession in the next month.

What's your relationship with confession?  How do you struggle?  What if anything keeps you from confessing your sins more freely and deeply?

Comments

[Garrett Hughes]

What awesome thought. I spent all morning praying about humility in my life. In the struggle I'm facing right now God has graced me with the humility I need moment to moment. I find that I'm facing the obstacles with less bitterness, anger, and the need to lift myself up by ragging on others who are the cause of some of the stress. I really believe this humility is directly connected to the act of confession. I too struggle with it. I'm glad my heart is in a position to still be convicted by things. I find it harder to confess when my heart is further from the issue and has begun to grow cold toward things. It's more painful to deal up front, but in the long run it's healthier. My favorite thing about confession is that I feel whole after I admit my shortcomings. It's like Jesus says, "great, that's out of the way let's get to business." I seem to hear Him more clearly. Thanks for the challenge. I for one needed to hear that today.

[fred]

I'm finding that my busyness drives my prayer life. I'm lifting up the next "thing" coming in my schedule.

I think my refusal to break out of busyness regularly to just lay all the cards on the table with God is keeping me from confessing more freely.

(BTW - I attended your breakout at Orange09. Thanks for sharing how Connexus is helping parents win at home)

[Tim Timpte]

Actually, confessing my sins is not the problem. I have made it part of my morning Bible study and prayer. I try to identify and confess each sin that I committed over the previous 24 hours. My struggle is with repentance. I find myself getting caught "off guard" in situations where my reaction is unkind thoughts, inappropriate comments, judgment, etc. Although I pray every day for specific guidance and patience in every situation that I encounter, I still struggle with that "brain-mouth" thing. I catch myself, but usually it's too late!

[Pat Rowland]

"You're only confessing what God - and often everybody else - already knows is a problem." I get and expect that God knows, but the idea that others already know. Never thought of it that way, it's so true! When I have practiced confession I'm more surprised by the grace of others then I am by the grace of God. I have experienced and come to expect God's grace, but feel I have to earn others.

[Richard Yeomans]

What a Great God we serve that we can be in such a close relationship with Him, that He does want to hear our hearts desire. How much I need to remember how much He wants us to come and talk in this way. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer...Psalm 19:14

[Paul Wilkinson]

The acting that takes place in some churches rivals anything the finest stages on Broadway have to offer. That's why transparency, when you find it, is so refreshing.

We function better as the capital-C Church when we see ourselves as a community of the broken.

[Robert Currie]

Hi Carey

Glad to see you're blogging again!
It's a form of ministry that you excel at.

Bob

[Fred Johnston]

Hi Carey... you do a great job!... can you give info on when you're going to be on TV (Global and Huntley), etc? I just caught a glimpse on LIFE 100.3 this morning, but not enough time to catch it in detail or write it down.

Fred

[Peter P]

Great post Carey.

Now I'm going to have to follow you on twitter to see how humble you really are. :-)

We could all use a little more humility!