S137P2 – Psalms of promise: confession brings forgiveness
Psa. 32:5
When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. (Selah) I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
When she started her job there, she understood that there would be a learning curve. The first few months were spent asking questions and being advised of her mistakes, then learning how to fix those mistakes. After some time, perhaps it was her high expectations or perhaps her pride, but she stopped asking questions. Instead of seeking help, she would make mistakes and try to fix them herself if she found them. Unfortunately, too many errors made it past her and right to her boss’s desk. He asked her why she had stopped seeking help and was simply doing things wrong over and over. The only true answer was that she had grown tired of having to admit her faults.
David paints two different pictures here, but they are both his experiences. The first picture is of a man who holds on to his sin and does not confess it. He tries to manage this sin, but he does not own up to it. This man has decided not to seek the Lord for help or forgiveness, and he pays the price of that burden. The second picture is the lesson learned when the man decides to put his trust in the Lord and confess that sin. The burden of the sin is lifted as he is forgiven. This brings relief and freedom, but it cannot happen without humility. The first step is recognizing one’s sin. The second step is confessing that sin before the Lord. It is the confession that one does not measure up to God’s standards, and that can be too painful for some to admit, but it is true for all.
The pain of confessing one’s sins to the Lord can come from different places. Some will feel pain as a result of conviction because they do not want to sin against the Lord. Others will feel pain as a result of injured pride because they do not want to admit that they are imperfect and fall short. This latter pain is sinful in and of itself. We might think that the Lord already knows our sin and does not need a reminder, but confession is necessary. Without it, forgiveness does not come, and we must be humble enough to admit that we cannot free ourselves from sin’s burden. Father, thank You for the promise of forgiving the humble confessor, and help us to kill our pride and confess our sins daily.