Confession
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,… Ephesians 4:30
I made confession today. I had been unwise and hurt some of my friends and colleagues. I was confronted by this yesterday and today, as the sin I’d committed rippled through different circles of relationships.
I didn’t murder or steal or covet, but I did ignore James’s exhortation to tame one’s tongue. I gave people I love reason to doubt my trustworthiness. I don’t even remember saying what I said, but I will remember its effects.
Both yesterday and today, as I was confronted with sin’s impact, I felt the peace of God leave me. I had grieved the Spirit. And, it wasn’t until I confessed, repented, and asked for forgiveness, first of God and then of those I’d hurt, that God’s peace returned.
Last Sunday, Pastor Russell spoke about healing and addressed the elephant in the room: Is sickness a direct result of sin? He’s 100% biblical when he answered, “Maybe.” Of course, this allows that someone can be physically ill as a result of sin. We can’t assume that they are, but they might be. In which case, confession, being cleansed by God, and restored to rightness, is a crucial step for healing. Not always, but sometimes.
So, if we as a church want to move through hope into healing, we should also be a church where confession, forgiveness, and the restoration of God’s shalom abide in abundance. Let’s pray for that.
— Pastor Steve