When we confess our sins, we will experience the forgiveness of God which became ours the moment of our salvation.
It is in the confession of sin with repentance and a desire to change that God meets us with the assurance of his forgiveness. That’s where the forgiveness of the cross becomes real to us. It is when we experience guilt for sin, and have that guilt removed by God’s continual assurance that his Son’s sacrifice paid for our guilt.
It’s like knowing you have a million dollars in the bank, but it’s just knowledge until you actually go to the bank and withdraw 10 $100 bills. Then you experience the reality of your wealth.
And God has said that he has limitless “wealth” for you. Jesus purchased limitless forgiveness for you. It’s in the bank. And every time you confess your sin and say, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” and he says to your soul, “Yes, I am merciful to sinners, and I forgive you because Jesus paid that debt for you,” you draw on that storehouse of forgiveness.
Confession of sin is how we experience the reality the forgiveness that is ours by God’s promise. And when we experience that reality, we gain deeper affection for God, and greater amazement at the grace of God.
That is a hopeful reality to encourage our confession of sin.
Confessing our sins can be a real challenge: often we do not even know that we have committed sins until far after we have committed them. Pride, one of the 7 deadly sins, is often difficult to get past. Have you ever done something that you knew was wrong and because of pride or the fear of embarrassment refused to ask for forgiveness? I have learned that quickly apologizing when and asking forgiveness makes all parties feel better. It helps you recognize when you have sinned as well. The Lord will always forgive you, but you must knock on His door. It does not happen the other way around. The choice is yours.
And we pray:
Immortal Father, ruler of both Heaven and Earth, I know that I have been tempted by evil in many moments of weakness and arrogance. I have strayed, hurting those that love me the most out of selfishness. Most of all, I have turned my back on You, my Lord, and I ask that You forgive me for these transgressions. I thank You with every breath for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins, knowing full well that I have done nothing to deserve this mercy. I shall do what I can to honor Christ, and it is in His holy name that I pray, Amen.