One of the hardest things to do in life is to admit your sin and ask for forgiveness.

This can be so hard for a myriad of reasons. Shame is usually involved; we’re afraid of being exposed or being found out; we know we’ve grieved or hurt the other person; it makes us vulnerable, etc. The list can go on and on.

But as a Christian, this practice—the practice of confession—should be a common and natural discipline. I mean, this act of confession and turning to Christ in faith for forgiveness and salvation is what begins our life in Christ. This is what moved us to Jesus in the first place and marks us as Christians. We’ve tasted and experienced his love and mercy.

But hear this: our need for this practice of confession is not something we ever move on from, at least not until heaven. Even then—our worship of Jesus will always flow from a response of thanksgiving because of his love, because of the cross, and because of forgiveness.

And yes, as Christians, we are forgiven, past, present, and future.

But also, as Christians, we still sin. And sin grieves the Lord; sin hinders the relationship; and sin brings a litany of turmoil that the enemy loves to play with.

And this turmoil is what’s at play in David’s description of himself in Psalm 32 above.

Have you ever sinned, felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but then tried to shake the unceasing thoughts, the shame that weighs heavy, and the battle that begins to wage as you war within yourself about what to do? Read verses 3 and 4 and feel this with David. And this is where the enemy wants us to live.

Remember—sin loves darkness. Sin wants to keep us alone and isolated and defeated. And when we keep sin in the darkness, we give it power to fester, to hide, to accuse, to bring fear.

But when we confess our sins, and when we regularly practice confession in our lives, we’re stripping it of its power and we’re running once again to grace. And grace transforms.

Think about this: in confession, there’s a few things happening.

• • Confession is an act of faith and trust. My contrition upholds that I believe God exists, that he forgives sin, and that I do not want anything to come between myself and him. I place a high value on my relationship with God. And I will trust that his covenant with me is as promised—unfailing and never-changing.
  • Confession is an act of remembering— remembering who I am (I’m a sinner), remembering my need (I’m weak and in constant need of grace and mercy), and remembering our great Savior (He lavishly gives forgiveness).
  • And confession is a shout in the face of Satan. When we bring our sin into the light, when we run to Jesus for forgiveness, when we make it such a habit in our lives, we strip Satan of his “go-to” weapons of shame, accusations, and fear.

As Christians, we do not need to fear confessing our sins because they are all forgiven.

Can you hear the relief and joy in David’s words in verse 5? Finally, I confessed all my sins to you…AND you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

If you were to read the entirety of Psalm 32, you can see how it begins and ends with joy!

It begins in verse 1, “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!” And it ends with verse 11, “So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!”

What do confession and forgiveness do in us?! It moves us to joy and gladness in the Lord! It causes us to worship and love him because we know his amazing grace and how much we’ve been forgiven. Confession keeps us humble. Regular confession keeps us attentive and aware of our flesh, our selfishness, and our sin. It’s hard to grow proud when you’re very aware of your weakness and sin.

So, as we bend our hearts towards Jesus and turn our eyes towards the cross and empty tomb this season, pay attention to your sin and the beauty of forgiveness. Both of which are linked in the practice of confession. We confess. And in Christ, we receive forgiveness.

And do you want to know a little trick? When Jesus and the cross are in focus in your hearts, confession and joy are not far behind. Focus there this season. And the difficulty in doing it becomes much easier.

Devotional by Nic Schrieber