We are coming up this week on Ash Wednesday - a time for corporately recognizing our sin as well and seeking God together for the holiness that is our inheritance as his people. The ashes remind us of our frailty and reconnect us to the God who has made us eternal beings beneath our diminishing flesh.
I remember the early days following my newfound understanding of the grace of the gospel when I understood that the cross took care of not only my problem with sinning but also my identity as a “sinner.”
Let me be clear here: I am not saying that I no longer sin. I am saying that through a true understanding of Romans, I discovered that my identity (spirit) changed from a struggling sinner to a struggling “saint.” God’s redemptive work on the cross changed me at a core level. My spirit is now united with Christ, and I wear his righteousness as my own. When I sin I am not operating from my truest self; I am operating out of my soul and all its woundedness in areas of love, acceptance, worth, and security. I have momentarily stepped into my false self. I have forgotten who I am.
Back to those early days. When I really allowed the truth of what it means that my spirit is 100% perfect with the perfection of Jesus, I think I was concerned and a bit confused about what I was to do with the sin that inevitably showed up in my life. I knew I had been forgiven for all of it – past, present, and future. But surely I wasn’t to just cavalierly ignore the bad stuff and just go on my merry way.
This is where a new understanding of confession is important. Confession is not about regaining my status as a righteous person. It is about looking for how my attitudes and behaviors are not lining up with the righteousness I possess.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Isaiah 30:15. Here we see Israel has once again turned away from God and their position as his chosen people in order to pursue life on their own terms (and the destruction that is sure to follow). In the middle of all that God implores them:
Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning[a] and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling,
What do we learn about confession from this passage? We see not only the four steps involved in confession but also the four gifts they offer us: Returning (repentance), Rest, Quietness, Trust.
Confession gives us an opportunity to recalibrate.
Think about how often in the course of a day your thoughts and attitudes, possibly your actions, result from a desire to rely on yourself, to protect yourself, or to be accepted. I think if we are all honest there are many times we might catch ourselves and wonder, “Why did I say that?” “ Why am I feeling this way?” “Where in the world did that thought come from?” If we were to take the time to sit with God and let him show us the origin we would likely find that we were living out of that version of ourselves that silently takes control and attempts to move things to a more comfortable or desirable result. We have the opportunity then to “return” to our right mind! To return to dependence on God and the truest version of ourselves.
Confession makes space for seeking God’s power instead of our own.
In confession we are reminded that, even with all of our best intentions, we cannot produce the kind of person we want to be on a consistent basis. We learn to stop striving, to breathe, and to receive. We sit on his lap and look into his loving eyes and see that we are loved in spite of our failures. We rest, but not a physical rest - a soul rest. Like the musical “rest” in a beautiful piece of music, soul rest is important to the flow and rhythm of life. We give space to the Spirit to step in and heal our wounds.
Confession establishes a life-giving pattern.
Ask yourself this question: How often do I pause to look back over the day, the week, or year to notice where I reverted to living on my own terms to get something done?” Establishing a regular pattern of silent reflection with an intention to confess gives me a time to seek the Spirit’s searchlight over my life. This searchlight is to produce awareness, not shame and guilt. An awareness so I can listen to what God wants to show me about myself and why I got off track.
Confession is a bridge to trust and intimacy.
When I can sit on the father’s lap in love and total acceptance, I am in a position to listen, to learn, to soak in the love and acceptance he so mercifully offers. I find I can trust him, not just with my best self, but with the undesirable parts of me. There is no need to posture myself in my best position in order to win his approval.
Confession prepares us to really understand the really good news of what the cross has won for us. Because instead of the groveling, shame-based confession that some of us have experienced, this confession is, in addition to what gifts I have noted above, a time to be in awe of how quickly Grace rushes to us. Rushes to us in an overwhelming embrace of love, along with a renewed realization that we don’t have to stay in this place.
We are now entering a season that is a perfect time to learn and practice confession. Beginning this coming Wednesday, known as Ash Wednesday to the church, a “long spring” (which is what the word Lent means in its origins) begins. A time of forty days leading us out of the cold and barren winter into the beauty and fresh life of spring. We are invited to prepare our hearts during this time to fully experience the joy of Jesus’ resurrection. I encourage you to use this time to begin or enter more fully into the beautiful and crucial practice of confession.
If you would like to have some opportunities to explore the goodness of this season of Lent, consider joining me as I lead two upcoming events. Please save the date for these events, and I will have more information soon.
Making my Cross – a creative and interactive workshop to put together elements of a cross with a guided reflection.
Thursday, March 19
6:30 – 8:30 pm (location TBD)
Leaving One to Embrace the Other – a silent guided retreat. Time for one-on-one reflection with Spiritual Direction if desired.
Friday, April 3
11:30 am – 4:30 pm
Catholic Conference Center, Hickory, NC