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, NIV
Sheila started drinking shortly after her first miscarriage. At first, it was just a way to ease the pain. She told herself it was no big deal. After all, she wasn’t falling down drunk. She just used enough alcohol to get by.
But as time passed, she needed more and more. She looked forward to the end of each day, knowing she could go home and have a few glasses of her favorite red wine.
Sheila thought she was in control of her drinking habits until she hit a tree while backing out of her driveway. Fortunately, she wasn’t injured, and no one else saw what had happened.
That night at a local ministry event, the topic of James 5:16 came up in the lesson. As the women in the group joined hands and began praying, Sheila opened her mouth and confessed her drinking.
When you choose to conceal your pain, you often look for a “quick fix” but temporary solution. For Sheila, that solution was alcohol. For other people, it might be pornography, drugs, or retail therapy.
God designed us to heal in community which is why confessing our faults is so powerful. When we do this in a supportive environment free from judgment, we experience the love and hope that God longs to lavish on us.
Prayer:
Lord, sometimes, I’m tempted to keep my sins to myself. Help me to remember Sheila and experience the freedom that comes from a heartfelt confession. Send community to pour out hope and love over me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
