Experiencing the Joy of Forgiven Sin

Scripture — Psalm 32:5 (NRSV)

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Devotion

We’ve all heard the expression: Confession is good for the soul. Today, we’ll examine a psalm that demonstrates the truth of this saying. Moreover, it invites us to confess for the sake of our own souls.

Psalm 32 expresses David’s joy in experiencing the freedom of God’s forgiveness. The first two verses of this psalm proclaim, “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (32:1-2).

Yet, for a while, David was not happy because he refused to confess his sin. He puts it this way: “While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me” (32:3-4a). God’s tough but gracious discipline brought David to the point that he laid everything before the Lord without holding back. He stopped trying to hide his guilt from God (v. 5). The result of his full confession was God’s forgiveness, which led to David’s rejoicing quoted above: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (32:1).”

I have seen this experience play out in many lives. As a pastor, I have been privileged to listen to people who, after years of struggling with guilt, have finally been able to confess their sin to God. The resulting experience of forgiveness and peace often leads to exultant joy.

The very sins that haunt us the most, the sins for which we most need to experience God’s forgiveness, are usually the ones we have the hardest time confessing. Our shame over our failure keeps us from telling God the truth of what we have done. Yet, by the power of the Holy Spirit, when we are set free to be honest about our worst offenses, then we are finally able to know the transforming power of divine forgiveness. We can experience in real time the truth of 1 John 1:8-9: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Did you catch that? From all unrighteousness! God will not just forgive us, but also cleanse us from all the ways we are not right with God and each other. Now that’s what I call good news.

Lent is a season in the Christian year in which many people offer prayers of confession on a more regular basis. In this time, we remember that “we are dust.” We take seriously our sinfulness and resulting mortality. But we don’t do this to wallow in guilt or become trapped in shame. Rather, we pay attention to our sins, confessing them to the Lord, so that we might experience the forgiveness that is ours in Christ.

If you’re carrying a heavy burden of unconfessed sin today, let me encourage you to follow David’s example. Tell the Lord where you have failed. Don’t hold back. Let the power of God’s forgiveness transform your heart and reorient your life. God is ready to do this. Are you?

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: The Best Hiding Place of All.