I have a confession. That confession is that I do not really like the idea of confessing.
I much prefer a comfortable arms length relationship with basically everyone. It's easier that way. If there are certain things no one knows then there are certain things that no one has to know about. And if no one has to know about it then I can pretend it doesn't really exist.
Secrets Secrets are no fun. But they are very helpful in keeping up peoples perception of me.
But then again I am a pastor which means I really do need to teach and accept the whole Bible, not just the parts that I like. There is that verse in James that talks about confessing to one another and praying for one another so that we may be healed.
Darn.
This verse has been running through my mind lately. I wonder what it would look like to live a life where we actually confessed to one another and prayed for one another. I wonder how my life would change if I lived with nothing to hide. A life with no dark closets where I keep all the stuff I can't force myself to throw away, but hope no one ever finds out I actually owned. That closet where most of us keep that members only jacket or studded belt from high school or that shirt that had shoulder pads... Some of us just still wear them like there's nothing that needed to change... (which is for a different blog post whether you mean shoulder pads or unforgiveness).
What would life look like it I didn't try to convince everyone that I wasn't weird and just admitted that I really don't want to get rid of that leather jacket I'm never doing to wear again, just because it's nostalgic? What would life look like if I didn't try to hide the fact that I struggle with things? If when my accountability partners ask "how's it going?" I said more than "pretty good lately, you?"?
Anyone uncomfortable yet? Or am I the only one who has used "pretty good" as a really broad and vague term before?
What would it look like if we actually confessed?
I've got a pretty good idea. I bet if we really started to confess to people that we trust then those people would really start to pray for us. I bet healing would come pretty soon after. I bet I'd never really be worried about what people find out ever again too.
Here are three reasons I think that.
1. Keeping deep secrets is like holding a lit match in one hand and a gallon of gas in the other. You're perfectly safe as long as things go like you planned, but the second you trip everything you knew is blown to bits. And we all know just how often life actually goes as planned.
2. It is impossible to really effect someone when you have them at arms length. Try it. Stand up straight exactly arms length away and try to push someone over without getting any closer to them. Unless you have inhumanly large fingertip muscles that's impossible. In order to have an affect on someones life you have to lean into them. In order to pray for real healing you need to see the hurt. And your prayers when you lean in will accomplish a lot.
3. Because you can never be confident in who you are and who you were made to be until you realize that you are loved in spite of your flaws. Jesus Christ knows literally every thought you've ever had. He knew them before you were even born. He died for you before you thought them, even though He knew you would think them. You can't mess up your way out of his love, and in true Christian community when you are in honest confession, trying to grow and seek healing, you can't mess up your way out of love.
**I'm not implying that we should start posting facebook statuses about our sins. Privacy is important. What I am implying is that a doctor can never help a problem until you tell him where it hurts and that the coughing might come from the chain smoking. To continue that analogy doctor patient privilege is a big deal. You need to be able to really trust and depend on the people you confess to.
So I'm thinking about a life with nothing to hide. It's scary. I don't like it.
But I think it might be worth it.
What do you think?
James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
I much prefer a comfortable arms length relationship with basically everyone. It's easier that way. If there are certain things no one knows then there are certain things that no one has to know about. And if no one has to know about it then I can pretend it doesn't really exist.
Secrets Secrets are no fun. But they are very helpful in keeping up peoples perception of me.
But then again I am a pastor which means I really do need to teach and accept the whole Bible, not just the parts that I like. There is that verse in James that talks about confessing to one another and praying for one another so that we may be healed.
Darn.
This verse has been running through my mind lately. I wonder what it would look like to live a life where we actually confessed to one another and prayed for one another. I wonder how my life would change if I lived with nothing to hide. A life with no dark closets where I keep all the stuff I can't force myself to throw away, but hope no one ever finds out I actually owned. That closet where most of us keep that members only jacket or studded belt from high school or that shirt that had shoulder pads... Some of us just still wear them like there's nothing that needed to change... (which is for a different blog post whether you mean shoulder pads or unforgiveness).
What would life look like it I didn't try to convince everyone that I wasn't weird and just admitted that I really don't want to get rid of that leather jacket I'm never doing to wear again, just because it's nostalgic? What would life look like if I didn't try to hide the fact that I struggle with things? If when my accountability partners ask "how's it going?" I said more than "pretty good lately, you?"?
Anyone uncomfortable yet? Or am I the only one who has used "pretty good" as a really broad and vague term before?
What would it look like if we actually confessed?
I've got a pretty good idea. I bet if we really started to confess to people that we trust then those people would really start to pray for us. I bet healing would come pretty soon after. I bet I'd never really be worried about what people find out ever again too.
Here are three reasons I think that.
1. Keeping deep secrets is like holding a lit match in one hand and a gallon of gas in the other. You're perfectly safe as long as things go like you planned, but the second you trip everything you knew is blown to bits. And we all know just how often life actually goes as planned.
2. It is impossible to really effect someone when you have them at arms length. Try it. Stand up straight exactly arms length away and try to push someone over without getting any closer to them. Unless you have inhumanly large fingertip muscles that's impossible. In order to have an affect on someones life you have to lean into them. In order to pray for real healing you need to see the hurt. And your prayers when you lean in will accomplish a lot.
3. Because you can never be confident in who you are and who you were made to be until you realize that you are loved in spite of your flaws. Jesus Christ knows literally every thought you've ever had. He knew them before you were even born. He died for you before you thought them, even though He knew you would think them. You can't mess up your way out of his love, and in true Christian community when you are in honest confession, trying to grow and seek healing, you can't mess up your way out of love.
**I'm not implying that we should start posting facebook statuses about our sins. Privacy is important. What I am implying is that a doctor can never help a problem until you tell him where it hurts and that the coughing might come from the chain smoking. To continue that analogy doctor patient privilege is a big deal. You need to be able to really trust and depend on the people you confess to.
So I'm thinking about a life with nothing to hide. It's scary. I don't like it.
But I think it might be worth it.
What do you think?
James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
