Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.' And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone."¹ 

In my counselor training and counseling days I participated in quite a few therapy groups of varying kinds. Some I found very helpful and others I could have done without. However on one occasion I was involved in a secular psychodrama (role-play) group with 25-30 participants.

We were sitting in a circle and a 30-something lady (whom I will call Janine) asked me if I would role play God for her. This was a secular group so why she picked on me I will never know (we hadn't even met each other). I believe it had to be a God-thing. At any rate she placed a chair in the center of the circle and asked me to sit on it. I was rather nervous to put it mildly. I had never heard of anyone ever role-playing God. So I kept praying under my breath, "God help ... God help."

Janine got down on her knees in front of me and openly confessed that she had been a prostitute and asked for forgiveness. Immediately the words of Jesus came to my mind and I spoke them to Janine, "Your sins are forgiven."

That was a courageous thing for Janine to do. It was the beginning of her healing. Unfortunately I never kept in contact with her but I hope and pray that she has, since then, genuinely sought to follow after God.

The point is whenever we sin, we are always left with guilt. Even if we repress it from conscious memory, it's still there and it is a very unhealthy way to live, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The only cure is confession ... to at least one trusting soul as well as to God. As God's Word says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."²

Dear reader, if you have any unconfessed sin in your life, I urge you to see an understanding pastor, priest, trusted friend and/or Christian Counselor. Like David the Psalmist, who committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, when he confessed his sin, he found God's forgiveness and great release. You and I can do the same.*

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank You enough for loving me no matter what I have ever done and always forgiving me when I, with genuine sorrow, confess my sins. Help me always to find a trusting person to whom I can confess my sins and weaknessesâ€"as well as confessing them to You. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

*For help be sure to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christianâ€"without having to be religious" at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

1. King David in Psalm 32:5 (NLT).
2. James 5:16 (NIV).

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