Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt, I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. (Psalm 32:1-6)
What a beautiful piece of scripture to encourage us! Verses 1 and 2 start out showcasing the joy that comes when our sins are not only forgiven, but the weight of our transgressions has been cleared from our record. Contrast that with how verses 3 and 4 illustrate what it’s like when we refuse to confess our sins to our Father and come to Him for forgiveness. David, the author of this Psalm, at times hid his sin and didn’t acknowledge it to God. Because of that, he lost his health, happiness and was heavily disciplined by our Father in Heaven.
For years I held on to an addiction and didn’t confess it to the Lord out of embarrassment, guilt and the grip that the addiction itself had over me. It came to light one day and all I could do was confess and ask our God for His grace-filled forgiveness.
In a similar way, David sincerely confessed his transgressions to the Lord and was forgiven and relief came from our Lord. Acknowledging and confessing our sin with an honest, sincere and repentant heart will ALWAYS result in God’s gracious pardon, the removal of guilt and the gift of his ever-present presence.
Personal Reflection:
Is there something in your life that you’re holding on to that you need to confess to our Savior? It could be anything, large or small. Did you gossip about someone instead of going to them? Did you take something that wasn’t yours to take? Do you hold a secret addiction? Whatever it may be, our Father is waiting to forgive you, just go to Him.
Personal Application:
You’re encouraged to go to your Father in heaven NOW to confess your rebellion and sins to Him. In doing so, you will not drown in the floodwaters of judgement, but be refreshed by the freedom from guilt.
