Speaking about the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote: ‘Many of the believers began to confess openly and tell all the evil things they had done…So in a powerful way the word of the Lord kept spreading and growing’ (v.18-20 NCV). Spiritual healing happens in churches like this one. So if we find ourselves trapped in a pattern of repeated sin and failure, we need to seek out mature, committed Christians who won’t be shocked or start to judge us, who won’t break our confidence, and who’ll know how to pray for us. Jesus gave His followers the authority to hear confessions and proclaim grace. ‘If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven (John 20:23 NIV). A spiritual cleansing takes place within us when someone looks at us and says, ‘God forgives you, I forgive you, now forgive yourself and walk in God’s forgiveness!’ Forgiveness can be a powerful force to help make us whole again. James wrote: ‘Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 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 5:14-16 NIV). So whenever we have something weighing on our minds that we need to confess, let’s take that first step to forgiveness and wholeness by talking to someone we can trust.

What Now?

Do you need to confess and seek forgiveness for anything? Talk to someone you trust about it, like your pastor, youth leader, or mentor, and bring it into the open so God can begin to bring healing and wholeness.