Barefoot and sun-kissed, we crowded onto the couches and floors in the houseboat’s tiny front room. Sitting on faded linoleum as someone strummed a guitar, I joined the heartfelt voices of my fellow camp counselors worshiping the Lord. A growing understanding of God’s holiness had transformed the way I praised Him during those pure and powerful worship sessions.
I had arrived at Houseboats a few weeks earlier and was glad to be serving at a Christian camp instead of joining my friends for graduation festivities in Mexico. I’d been stretched and humbled but had also experienced deep joy in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Praising God for His transcendent attributes and meditating on His character gave me a clearer perspective of His worthiness and my weakness. Awestruck by His perfection and holiness, a surprising awareness of my own sinfulness also came to light. I knew I needed to confess it and come clean before Him. Like David in Psalm 139:19-22, I was beginning to recoil from sin as I understood how much the Lord hates it.
My experience was personal, but not unique. Through the prompting and conviction of the Holy Spirit, many believers pray as David did: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139, 23-24, CSB)
After accepting Christ, we are cleansed by His blood and receive eternal salvation, but we still struggle with sin. So, we need to examine our hearts and actions consistently and confess where we’ve fallen short of His standards. The prophet Isaiah explains how sin hinders our communication with God: “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2, NIV)
David expresses an understanding of this in Psalm 51: “Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:9-12, NIV)
Responding to the Lord’s loving forgiveness, we then repent and allow Him to transform our thoughts, attitudes, and actions once again. We turn back towards God and away from whatever dishonors Him; repentance is about surrender—welcoming the conviction of the Holy Spirit and seeking God’s help to do things differently.
With that in mind, let’s consider several reasons we’d be wise to let the Lord search our hearts and shine light on unconfessed sin.
–Unconfessed sin is a burden that weighs us down: In another psalm, David says, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me, my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:3-7, NIV)
Guilt warns us we’ve done something wrong, but when feeling guilty becomes a a permanent state of mind, that’s condemnation–which isn’t from God. Jesus was condemned to die on the cross to pay for our guilt! Instead, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so that we can confess it and be restored to close connection with the Lord. Here are a few differences between guilt that leads to condemnation and holy conviction that leads to restoration:
| Condemnation | Conviction |
| Comes from the enemy | Comes from the Holy Spirit |
| Points us back to ourselves | Points us back to God |
| Causes shame, regret & self-loathing | Causes humility, repentance & change |
| Causes us to dwell on failures | Causes remorse for sin |
| Leads us to feel helpless & hopeless | Leads us to spiritual maturity |
–Unconfessed sin hinders us from growing spiritually: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV, italics added) It’s a struggle to move forward in our faith and accomplish God’s will and plans when we’re entangled by sin. It holds us back from experiencing deep, intimate fellowship with God. It also dulls our spiritual senses, weakens our ability to persevere, and takes our eyes off Jesus.
–Unconfessed sin limits opportunities to be used by God and steals our joy: David offered these wise words for his son, Solomon, shortly before his death: “I am about to go the way of all the earth…So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.’“ (1 Kings 2:1-3, NIV italics added)
Jesus also emphasizes how obedience enables closeness to God when He says, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:10-11, NIV, italics added)
Paul elaborates further: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness… Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 5:15-17, NIV, italics added)
Although confession and repentance may feel difficult, or even scary at times, Scripture explains the benefits: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19, NIV, italics added)
Consider inviting God to search your heart today. Let adoration of Him lead you to confess sins that are keeping you from becoming the person He’s made you to be. Experience refreshment and joy by removing any barriers to connection with Him
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Inspired by When You Pray: A Study of Six Prayers in the Bible, Session 4, Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Jada Edwards, Kristi McClelland, Lifeway Press, 2023.