Read: Psalm 32:1-5
There was a time in my life not too long ago when I convinced myself that I was sick. Like really sick. I proceeded to do what any true millennial would do: I Googled my symptoms. Google remained faithful in its response. Everything I read said that it was cancer. I knew I didn’t have cancer. I knew I was fine. But in the back of my mind, that thought kept intruding, kept persisting, kept gnawing at me. It would eventually be the last thing on my mind when I went to sleep and the first thing on my mind when I woke up — causing me, as King David would describe, to “groan all day long.”
That was until I finally gave in and went to the doctor. I told him what I was concerned about, what I feared, and what I needed answers to. I got an x-ray, only to show that I was perfectly fine. Completely healthy. All of my worries were gone. All of my anxiety was gone. All of my fear was gone.
I imagine this is a similar feeling to what King David describes in Psalm 32. There was something in his life that he was trying to hide, that he was trying to push down, that he was trying to pretend wasn’t there. All it did was lead to anxiety, fear, and shame. Sometimes the Father bestows his “hand of discipline” by the Holy Spirit, convicting us of what we know we need to confess. The Holy Spirit reminds us that something is standing in the way of a full and transparent life with the Father.
Once David confessed his sin to the Father, he found joy in his forgiveness. Instead of hiding from God, verse 7 tells us that he now hides in God. Instead of running from God, he runs to God. Instead of being fearful of God, he now finds his protection and safety in God.
If you want joy in this life, as David describes, confess your sins to God. The same God that you are running from is pursuing you. He knows your thoughts, your motives, and your desires. He is fighting for you. True joy is found when you know that the King of the universe is on your side.
Reflection Questions:
- How have you experienced the blessings of God’s forgiveness in your life?
- Why is it important to regularly confess your sins to God?
- How can you cultivate a heart that is quick to repent and seek God’s forgiveness?