Today’s Verse:
I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin. . . . Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! —Psalm 38:18, 22
Your Challenge: Seek the Lord to help you be truly honest with Him and others.
Today’s Devotional:
“You don’t know what grace is on the other side of confession,” my friend said.
I heard her, and part of me wanted to believe her. But deep down, I wondered: is God really going to come through if I confess? I had hidden that sin for years. I didn’t know what it would cost me to speak the truth. I was ashamed. I was terrified.
But God.
He came through as He always does. He gave me the grace to confess, and there was grace—even in the difficulties—on the other side.
Honesty in confession is always accompanied by grace because it puts us in the place of admitting our need for God. He is faithful to make Himself known to us in those moments. You can trust Him.
Look Up: Seeking Him in Praise
Honesty can be hard, but take heart! The Lord is your salvation. He calls you to speak the truth about yourself, but He hasn’t left you to do it in your own strength. The Spirit of Jesus, full of grace and truth, lives within you. He is the One who will open your mouth to say what is real, and He is the One who will give you grace for whatever is on the other side of your confession.
Look In: Seeking Him for Our Own Hearts
When you saw the word “honesty” at the top of this email, did your heart sink? Did the Holy Spirit convict you of an area where you have not been honest with Him or others? If so, the Psalmist’s prayer can be your prayer today: “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.” Honesty is a weighty call; ask Him to help you. Because He will. He is near. He is listening.
Look Out: Seeking Him on Behalf of Others
Yes, honesty is difficult. But it is also necessary for seeking the Lord. Could you imagine what your church would look like if everyone was committed to honesty? If everyone took the command to confess their sins and pray for one another (James 5:16) seriously?
As you pray for honesty in yourself, ask God to help others in your local church to also confess sin. Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict where needed. Ask Him to help His people respond to His Word with boldly humble, grace-dependent, and true words about their sin.
Reflect and Respond:
- If the Holy Spirit is convicting you, confess your sins to God right now. He is faithful and just to forgive (1 John 1:9).
- Think of someone that you can regularly be honest with about your sin and ask to pray for you, because that is the path to healing (James 5:16). Then, if possible, get in touch with them today.
- Write out a prayer, asking God to shape you into a person others can be honest with—because you’re called to imitate God (Eph. 5:1)—and post it somewhere to remind you to help others speak the truth.
Join the Discussion