We live in a world that is always trying to sell us on the supposed “perfection” around us. Advertisements tell us that our lives should look a particular way. Social media is a highlight reel displaying typically only the best of what is happening in everyone else’s life. Within all this seemingly utopic world, it can feel like there is no room for imperfection.

This is what makes a habit of confession, well…feel awkward at times. At least getting started it can be. It is uncomfortable to talk about the parts of our lives that are not picture perfect. We veil the brokenness. We hide it from others and ourselves. We put on these masks of performance and perfection that begin to shape our identity.

Titus 3:4-7 ESV But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

James 4:7-10 ESV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

When we confess our sins, we finally get to take off the mask. We get to approach God in authenticity and humility and experience forgiveness. James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Catch the order here. First, we draw near to God. Then, we clean up. So often we think that we must clean up before ever showing up. We think we must get our lives together before trying to be forgiven. We think we need to work for it. But God, in his love and grace, wants you to come just as you are.

Just show up, then let God help clean up.

Invite God into the pains, hurts, habits, and hang-ups. As we create a rhythm and habit of humbly confessing our sins, God gets the opportunity to speak truth and life into our hearts. We take off the mask and get to experience life with God as his sons and daughters.

What is one mask you can take off today to be real with God?

Confession.

As daunting as confession seems in advance, its God’s remedy for a broken heart.

Romans 10:9-13 ESV because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Matthew 16:15-18 ESV He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

While confessing your sins is critically important to humbly approaching the throne of God, there is perhaps a more important confession. Confessing “Jesus is Lord” is the foundation of the Christian faith. Scripture promises that the result of a genuine confession of the Lordship of Jesus is that, “you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). This is the same confession that Peter made, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

We are born with a longing for eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Therefore, the assurance of salvation satisfies the deepest hunger of the human heart—Eternity with the Creator.

Many religions practice confession. What sets apart confession for the Christian is WHO our confession is directed to. Real value is found when confession is directed toward the only one who can save. Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes through the Father except through him (John 14:6).

When we reach out to Jesus, we have assurance that we will never be put to shame (Romans 10:11). The fear of shame scares many away from the Holiness of God. But God welcomes us into his presence with humble confession. Our brokenness is made perfect through his unconditional love. That’s the good news!

No matter what you have done, God is standing there with open arms. You are not too far gone. His grace has no limit. You do not need to earn your way back to God with good deeds. Confession is the cure.

Have you confessed Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you live that confession out on a daily basis? Stop right now. Make this foundational confession: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and my Lord and Savior.” Now, take a deep breath, embrace the gift of God’s grace, and go live it like you mean it.

In Days 1 & 2, we studied the words of King David in Psalm 51 and Psalm 32 as he expressed the “heart” and the “how” of confession. David’s experience is a powerful example of how darkness can envelop hidden sin, but shining the light on it can bring freedom and healing. Confession is a vitally important spiritual discipline because resistance to confession can bring the rest of your spiritual life grinding to a halt!

We get hung up when we weigh the cost of confession and decide that the price is more than we want to pay. What we often fail to consider, though, is that hiding our sin carries a devastatingly higher cost than coming clean. After King David sinned against God in 2 Samuel 11, the price of his concealment would have been his life – but God spared him because he came clean (2 Samuel 12:13).

Concealment always costs more than confession.

Let’s read Ephesians 5:1-17 to see how a habit of confession helps us follow God’s will for us to live in the light, rather than in darkness.

Ephesians 5:1-17 ESV Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Unconfessed sin is one of the barriers that can inhibit other spiritual disciplines. If you feel “stuck” in your walk with God, confession may be just what is needed to jump-start your dead battery and reinvigorate your habits of Bible study and prayer.

We might also find ourselves tempted to partially confess, but this never leads to freedom. God already knows what we are hiding anyway (Psalm 69:5). We are only truly liberated from the bondage of concealed sin when we come totally clean. When we are disciplined to confess in this way – and not only to confess but to repent and turn our heart fully back to God – we taste and enjoy the redemptive forgiveness that is only found in Jesus Christ.

Complete confession always leads to complete forgiveness from God.

Have you ever found yourself reluctant to confess something to God? Were you worried about what confessing might cost you? Is there any unconfessed sin in your life right now that you need to expose to the light?

Take this challenge: Start your anchoring time with God each day this week with confession. Open yourself up to God’s Spirit and allow Him to cleanse you before trying to maintain your other spiritual habits. See if your hunger for God’s word increases!

It is worth starting today’s discussion of how to practice confession with a bit of a warning. So here it is, our failure to practice confession is not for lack of understanding how to do it. If we are not practicing confession, it is probably that we understand the “how” and everything that entails very well. Because in essence, confession is very simple. In the words of David, it is so basic, it is like it’s in our very bones.

Confession is the practice of saying, “I am guilty.”

Psalm 32:1-11 ESV Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Who do we go to in confession? In the 12 Steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program, step five is often known as “Confession.” Here confession is described as the step in which we, “admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” God, ourselves, another human being.

Why do we confess? Why would we ever make a practice of doing something that has the potential to be so embarrassing, humbling, exposing? In Psalm 32, we get a front-row seat to David’s VERY humbling practice of confession. David begins with the affirmation that the one whose transgressions have been forgiven is full of joy. Don’t miss this. To have transgressed and to have experienced forgiveness is cause for joy. And what leads us from our transgressions to our forgiveness and on to joy? That’s right, confession.

When do we confess? Again, we can look to David in Psalm 32. David says not to waste another second. Immediately is the word David uses. Immediately go to God. As mentioned before, our practice of confession could (and most often should) involve another human being, because we do not sin, and make harmful choices, and cause pain in a vacuum. We hurt other people. And so, our first move is to God, where we find forgiveness. But our work is not done. We must then also move (quickly, immediately!) toward the people we have wronged. And there, in those relationships, when we offer confession, we can find healing for everyone involved. So why waste another second. Freedom, joy, and healing are waiting on the other side!

When was the last time you said, “I am guilty”? Do you have a harder time confessing to God, yourself, or another person?

https://diggingdeeper.net/2025/08/11/confession-the-how-of-the-habit

Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a glimpse of the Spiritual Fruit God wants to grow in and through us. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a good summary of the Fruit that will grow in the life of a Christian – a Godly Character. Some of these characteristics, or “Fruits,” are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.

As we deepen our relationship with Jesus and allow His Spirit to nourish us, we will naturally start becoming more and more like Him. But just like it takes time for some fruit to grow, the same is true with Spiritual Fruit in our lives. So be patient with yourself. Spiritual Fruit will begin to show up in the way we love others, extend kindness, remain patient, and seek peace. Over time, we should notice our lives taking on the beautiful character of Jesus more and more, and give us just the encouragement we need to show that we truly belong to Christ.

The growth of all these Fruits of the Spirit leads to our growth in Holiness. Having these Fruits in our lives will make the Beauty of God’s Holy Character shine through our everyday lives.

One way to check in on our Spiritual Growth is to look at the Fruit we are producing. Are we becoming more loving, patient, and joyful? Do we find ourselves desiring to be kind, gentle, and faithful? If so, we’re on the right path, making steady (even if slow) progress in becoming more like Jesus.

“If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned.” (NET)

Into the Text

A simple fact: a branch that is not connected to the vine has no life flowing through it, so it withers and dies. Without a true connection to Jesus, a person is like that branch, dead and unable to bear any Lasting Fruit.

Jesus has already said in verse 2 that His Father, the Vinedresser, “takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me.” And in verse 8, He says that the proof of a person being a true disciple is that he or she will bear much Fruit.

While there are many in the church today who claim to be Christians, if all they produce is bad, rotten Fruit, they are not true disciples of Jesus and have never been attached to the Vine. While such people may fool others for a while, their Fruitless life will ultimately make it clear that they did not belong to Jesus. The Father will judge and destroy such branches in the end. The Vinedresser is not surprised by this, and He is still in control.

At the same time, we may be confident that if we have truly surrendered ourselves to Jesus, the Father will make sure that we bear Fruit. He has promised it. He will judge those who don’t belong, but He prunes and disciplines those who do. He will cut away the dead branches but cultivate the living ones.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.” (NET)

Into the Text

I love how Jesus says, “bears much fruit…” It’s as if He’s gently reminding us that our lives are meant to overflow with Spiritual Fruit. But here’s the best part. We aren’t expected to produce it in our own strength. You, my sweet friend, are utterly unable to make this Fruit grow. It’s a task that we do together with Jesus.

Our part is to stay connected and rooted in Him. It’s not a passive wanting to remain connected to Christ, but a daily coming to Him in faith and prayer for help. In these actions, He’s the One who supplies everything we need—our Strength, Wisdom, and Nourishment. As we draw from His Life, He produces Amazing Fruit through us.

Too often, we think we have to strive, push, or muster up the strength to produce Fruit. But the truth is, we don’t bear Fruit by struggling. We bear Fruit by abiding. Through Jesus, we already have everything we need to grow and bear Good Fruit. Abiding in Jesus means realizing and believing that we have been united to Him. Everything He has, He wants to give to us: His Joy, His Love, His Purity, His Life, His All.

So, if you’re feeling weak or overwhelmed by life’s demands, remember your role. You are the branch—not the Vine. When we’re weak, He is Strong, and it’s perfectly okay to lean into that Truth. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. When we abide in Him, He does the heavy lifting.