Each Saturday during Lent, we will take some time as a church family to practice a different spiritual exercise together. Today, we are practicing Confession.
About Confession
Self-examination is a process whereby the Holy Spirit opens your heart to what is true about you. It is a way of opening yourself to God within the safety of divine love so that you can authentically seek transformation. Confession embraces Christ’s gift of forgiveness and restoration while setting us on the path to renewal and change (Psalm 139:23-24; Psalm 32:1-2; James 5:16).
For REflection:
- Does your confession tend to be along the lines of “Forgive my sins, dear Lord” rather than specifically naming your sins one by one before the face of God? What does the lack of specific confession do to self-awareness?
- What experiences have affected your ability to give and receive forgiveness? Talk to God about what this means.
- Which of your sins hurts those closest to you?
Practicing Confession:
- In the presence of God, ask for light to pierce your defenses. Then ask yourself: who have I injured recently through thoughtlessness, neglect, anger, and so on? As the Holy Spirit brings people to mind, confess your feelings to God. Ask God to forgive you and if need be, to give you grace to forgive them. Write an apology, make a phone call, or confess out loud in an attempt to put the relationship back on track.
- Turn to Psalm 32 or 51. Use the psalm as a way of bringing your own sins before God. How does God meet you in these confessions of David?
- Imagine the kind of person you would like to become in your old age. Then look at your life and assess whether or not the way you live now is preparing you to become this person. Confess where you need to change. Ask God and the community of faith for help.