Revealing Is the Beginning of Healing

In James 5:16 I read, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (NIV)

Revealing my feelings is the beginning of emotional healing.

The Bible says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16 NIV).

If I want to be emotionally healthy, the first step is confessing my sins to God.

But to get over my sin and get on with my life, to be emotionally healthy, I need to take a second step. I need to tell someone else about my sin.

I’m thinking, “Why does God want me to drag somebody else into this?” Here’s why: God knows that the root of my problem is relational.

I often don’t even realize that my broken relationships with others are the root of my problems. Instead of being honest with others, I disguise who I really am. I pretend I have it all together, when everybody knows I don’t. I act like everything is just fine, when it’s not.

That behavior isolates me from others. It prevents intimacy. And it keeps me from the deepest level of love. I cannot love fully with hidden sin in my heart.

I’m only as sick as my secrets. The fact is, the more I hide, the sicker I get. On the other hand, revealing my feelings is the beginning of healing. When I find someone who I can trust, who listens to me and shares with me, I find that they have problems too.

There’s something about telling another person that releases the pressure valve. When I shine the light on my secret, suddenly it loses its power over me.

If I want healing, I’ve got to stop concealing. What’s the thing in my life I don’t want anybody to know about? That’s the area where God wants to give me the most grace, mercy, and healing.

In summary, confess my sins to others and pray for each other so that I may be healed. Revealing my feelings is the beginning of emotional healing. If I want to be emotionally healthy, the first step is confessing my sins to God. But to get over my sin and get on with my life, to be emotionally healthy, I need to take a second step. I need to tell someone else about my sin. “Why does God want me to drag somebody else into this?” God knows that the root of my problem is relational. I often don’t even realize that my broken relationships with others are the root of my problems. Instead of being honest, I disguise who I really am. I pretend I have it all together, when everybody knows I don’t. I act like everything is just fine, when it’s not. That behavior isolates me from others. It keeps me from the deepest level of love. The more I hide, the sicker I get. Revealing my feelings is the beginning of healing. When I find someone who I can trust, who listens and shares, I find that they have problems too. There’s something about telling another that releases the pressure valve. When I shine the light on my secret, suddenly it loses its power over me. If I want healing, I’ve got to stop concealing. What’s the thing in my life I don’t want anybody to know about? That’s the area where God wants to give me the most grace, mercy, and healing.

Christ has made it possible for me to go directly to God for forgiveness. But confessing my sin to others still has an important place. 1). If I have sinned against an individual, I must ask him or her to forgive me. 2). If my sin has affected the church, I must confess it publicly. 3). If I need loving support as I struggle with sin, I should confess that sin to those who are able to provide that support. 4). If, after confessing a private sin to God, I still don't feel his forgiveness, I may wish to confess that sin to a fellow believer for assurance of God's pardon. In Christ's Kingdom, every believer is a priest to other believers. The Christian's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer. The results are often greater than we thought were possible. Some see prayer as a last resort to be tired when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. Because God's power is infinitely greater than mine, it only makes sense to rely on it, especially because God encourages me to do so. 

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.