Confession is not a word we use much, but its meaning is relatively simple. Its literal meaning in the context of prayer is “agreeing with God.” So, when we confess during a prayer time, we are agreeing with God about what he already knows. This is a place in prayer where our honesty, openness, and transparency come into play. Have you considered the role of confession in your church planting efforts?
Listen to what James says about confession:
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16
The most honest, open, and transparent relationship we will ever have is the one we have with God. He is a father who knows everything, and because he does, there is no need to hide from him. We need to talk with him about the things he already knows that often he just wants us to honestly acknowledge. That’s confession.
If you are looking for something to confess and are unsure of what to share with God, again consider one, not all, of these “5-F categories:” faith, family, finance, fitness, and friendships.
Or just do this: reflect on the last 24 hours and search for a moment in which you might have caused harm to someone or something in one of these categories. Then be specific with God about what you did, what you should have done, and what you would like to do better in the future. I have found by addressing specific mistakes, and not general sinfulness, I have lots to talk with God about. Let’s be honest, we all frequently fumble in some areas. Besides, God already knows the mistakes we’ve made; confession heightens our awareness of how we need to realign ourselves with God.
This article on confession is an excerpt from Vince Miller’s book, Disciplines for Men, and is used by permission.
