Exodus 2:13-14, "When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, ‘Why do you strike your companion?' He answered, ‘Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?' Then Moses was afraid, and thought, ‘Surely the thing is known.'"

Proverbs 28:13, "People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy."

Think

Confession is good for the soul. Like many clichés, this one has the virtue of being true. Moses found that out through personal experience. Seeing a fellow Hebrew mistreated by an Egyptian, he took matters into his own hands and killed the abuser. Instead of coming clean, he chose to bury his sin. The situation spiraled out of control, and Moses' whole world unraveled. He learned the hard way that unconfessed sin never leads to success; it's always better to come clean before God.

The curious thing about confession is that God already knows what we've done wrong. Why then does He want us to reveal our secrets to Him? Because, for us to become who He designed us to be, we need to see our sin from His perspective. Confession is for our good, not His. We can't be released from the destructive power of secrecy as long as we expend energy to keep sin hidden!

Confession is like forgiveness. Just as our refusal to forgive others hurts us, so does secret sin. Difference-makers get this truth. They understand that they're imperfect people who make mistakes. But when they do, they confess them quickly, striving to please God and get back on track to be who and what He created them to be. You, too, can make a huge difference by coming clean with God every day. Transparency is key to living an authentic life of faith in Christ!

Act

List any secret sins on a piece of paper. Now openly confess them to God, thanking Him for His forgiveness. Once confession is made, destroy the paper to represent God's forgiveness.

Pray

Dear God, I receive the forgiveness that You promise by virtue of what Jesus Christ did for me through His death and resurrection. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Amen.