“Narrow is the mansion of my soul; enlarge Thou it, that Thou mayest enter in. It is ruinous; repair Thou it. It has that within that must offend Thine eyes; I confess and know it. But who shall cleanse it? Or to whom should I cry, save Thee? Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults, and spare Thy servant from the power of the enemy. I believe, and therefore do I speak.”
— Confessions of St. Augustine
In our summer series on prayer, we are exploring the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Today, we will step into prayers of confession. This often-overlooked form is one of the most fundamental prayers. Confession anchors us to God. We will explore what confession is, the importance of confession, and encouragement to implement confession in our daily walk.
What Is Confession?
When faced with the question “Have you ever told a lie?” most people would admit that they have. They agree that the sin of lying has been a part of their life, but they may not acknowledged that lying is a problem. This is what separates admission from confession.
Confession occurs when a person acknowledges that their sin is an offense to someone. They then go to that person and verbally profess the wrong they have committed with the intent of restoring the relationship.
When we go to God in prayers of confession, we acknowledge that any sin we have done is truly against God. This sin drives a wedge between our relationship and communication with God.
Collin Huber, in his article Admission Does Not Equal Confession, defines it like this: “Confession is the act of agreeing with God about our condition and seeking healing on His terms, not our own.”
The Importance of Confession
Let’s examine the importance of confession through King David’s own model of prayer in Psalm 51.
King David was a man after God’s heart, but he was not sinless. After his sin with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan called David out for his sin. David could have denied his sin and removed all witnesses and evidence like most kings would have done. He could have admitted his sin but excused it or ignored the ramifications. However, this is not what he did.
David’s sin deeply grieved him. The revelation of his actions put into perspective that David had not only sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah; he had rebelled against God. When light was shed on his shame, David did not run nor cover up. He laid himself open and bare before the Lord.
“Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion blot out my rebellion.” — Psalm 51:1
David did not make excuses for his sin. He did not try to justify himself, nor did he berate himself in an attempt to earn penance. He pleaded to God that according to God’s holy and righteous character, He would forgive and remove the sin that stained David’s heart.
“Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against You — You alone — I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge.” — Psalm 51:2-4
True confession does not cover up, excuse, or bargain. It honestly acknowledges that our offense is truly against God.
David understood that any judgment God pronounced was just. Consequences were necessary, but they did not discount forgiveness.
After David confessed, he requested God would purify his heart so that he may rejoice and glorify the One who showed him mercy.
“Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.” — Psalm 51:7-8
Confession leads to restoration and joy. The same God who created the universe out of nothing can create a clean heart in you (v. 10). He will restore the joy of your salvation and sustain you by giving you a willing spirit (v. 12).
Encouragement for Confession
Confession was never meant to be self-deprecating. Instead, it is the path of freedom. When we confess that the sin in our life is against God, we are acknowledging that we are not masters of our own lives and cannot save ourselves.
Repentance for salvation is only required once, but we continue to live in a fallen world. Our flesh wars against the Spirit within us, fighting to be king over our hearts.
We will continue to wrestle with our sin nature until we are in heaven. However, we do not have to sit in our sin. God is the God of our salvation (v. 12). He desires a broken and humble heart (v. 17).
There is no need to fear confession of sins. God already knows everything you’ve ever said, thought, or done. Admitting your guilt and confessing it is a gift.
If you struggle with how to pray through confession, you can pray directly out of Psalm 51. God gives us His words to pray. Or you may use the prayer below, modeled after Psalm 51, to lead you into prayers of confession:
Lord,
You are gracious, faithful in love, and abundant in compassion.
My sin is against You alone.
I wrestle to do what is right.
I deserve the judgment You proclaim for my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart. Renew a right spirit in me.
Then I will praise You with my mouth.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
