Bring your confessions, and return to the LORD. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises. Hosea 14:2 NLT
Confession. A written or oral acknowledgment of guilt by the party accused of an offense.
Confess. To give evidence. To admit. To own.
No wonder we don’t like to do it.
It is humiliating. By definition.
But it is an essential step.
Notice the elements Hosea outlines.
Confession and repentance.
Forgiveness and reception.
Praise.
We confess and repent. God forgives and receives. We offer praise.
If praise on Sunday (or any day) is flat … perhaps the confession was missing.
But we prefer self-esteem to self-abasement.
However, there is another definition of confess.
To unburden oneself from the weight of sins.
Unburdened.
Unbound.
Released.
Free.
When we confess.