“Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices.” (Acts 19:18)
Why don’t we confess our sins more often? The passionate believers in Acts 19 confessed their sins and disclosed their practices so that they might be free of those things that belonged to the old man and replace them with the new man built up in Christ.
Yet, this is the double-bind of confession. When we confess, we disclose our sins, which is freeing… but if we confess, we must disclose our sins, which is terrifying. We must be vulnerable to be free.
We cannot remove guilt and shame while trying to hide our guilt and shame. It is only in disclosure that the shackles come off. Yet, that is a paralyzing proposition!
What if people shun me because of my confession? (Some will.) *Others will draw close with grace and love.*
What if I confess my sin and still struggle with it? (You will.) *But you won’t struggle alone.*
What if my life is never the same after I confess? (It won’t be.) *What if that’s a good thing?
Grace abounds where confession begins. It is the leap of fear worth making.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites