Thursday, June 13, 2024

Admitting that you’re wrong is one of the most challenging things—at least, it is for me. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but not having them because of my foolish pride or loyalty cuts deep. Being wrong and using excuses to put off righting that wrong creates unresolved problems.

I didn’t fully understand something that happened years ago because my distance from the problem was too great. I naturally stepped in to protect one of the parties because doing so used to be a privilege. A few months later, I recognized the mistake but ignored the part I played. Instead, I thought creating more distance from the person I helped would justify my actions.

God tells us that our unresolved issues are problematic by reminding us of the good relationships we miss out on and/or the feeling we get from the unrest of our problems.

James 5:16
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.

How often do you start to text or call someone God placed in your mind or heart but anxiety sets in? That feeling is faith’s way of letting you know all is not well with your soul, and trusting God through reconciliation is how you heal the anguish. It’s also how you can say goodbye to those who no longer hold a place in this season of your life.

After years of avoiding my role in creating that unresolved issue, I addressed the once-protected party and apologized to the other. Saying goodbye to one hurt my heart even more, but saying hello to the other helped the healing process. Confessing your sins is never easy, but that’s part of the consequence of our troubled actions.

Thankfully, God is always there to walk us through everything, and to hold us when it’s done.

Questions:
Have you been holding on to confessions instead of releasing them to others? What problems persist in your life when you refuse to heal your heart?

Next Steps:
Talk to a trusted person about your guilt and pray about it. Ask others to pray for the decisions you have to make. Find the person to confess to and take the time to do it.

Prayer:
Father, I ask for your forgiveness for the sins I’ve committed and for the courage to apologize to those I have wronged. Give me the strength to accept the apologies of those who have wronged me. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Psalm 37:3-4

³ Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. ⁴ Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

This post was written by Jaron Camp, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.