Vital Signs: Friday, January 10, 2024

The Healing Power of Confession

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” - ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s true: there is blessing in confessing. When we sin, in our shame, we tend to go into hiding, just like Adam. We don’t want to be found out; we are like children who disobey and try to keep it to ourselves. But secrecy is a very defective strategy. As we hide and cover up, secret sins continue to make us sicker.

James tells us that confessing to each other and praying for each other is the path to healing. When we confess, it takes much of the power out of the secret sin. And God honors the humility required to be open and honest.