Day 14: The Power of Confession
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When we were kids, my brother and I used to go shooting at my uncle’s farm.
We were allowed to take the gun by ourselves — as long as we didn’t kill anything.One day, we came across a dead cow… and thought we’d somehow killed it.
Looking back, that was ridiculous — we only had a .22 rifle.
But in the panic of the moment, we freaked out.
So what did we do? We tried to hide the carcass.But hiding a cow? Not exactly realistic. It was huge.
We were terrified to tell our uncle. But when we finally confessed, he just laughed and said the cow had been dead for weeks.
He appreciated our honesty — and in telling the truth, we felt free too.
If you’ve done something wrong — or even if you just think you have — be honest.
Say it out loud. Relationships grow when people are honest with each other.Maybe today’s the day to have that awkward but freeing conversation with someone you love.
Let’s Talk
There’s nothing quite like that sinking feeling when you think you’ve wrecked something. We have all been there. It’s that horrible moment when your own stupidity catches up with you.
Your heart races. Your brain scrambles for a cover-up and suddenly, hiding feels safer than honesty.
But here’s the thing: hiding never really helps. It just delays healing and restoration.
We all have our metaphorical dead cows — mistakes, missteps, misunderstandings we’d rather bury than deal with.
And like two kids in a paddock with a .22 rifle and a terrible plan, we try to cover them up.
We avoid eye contact. Ghost a text. Talk around an issue, or avoid it completely.
But honesty — even nervous, awkward honesty opens the door to freedom.
Most of the time, the people we love don’t need perfection, they just need us to show up, own what we’ve done (or what we think we’ve done), and say the words:
“Hey, I’m sorry. I think I messed up. Can we talk about it?”
And if you’re someone on the receiving end of that kind of honesty — be gentle, because vulnerability is always a risk, and how we respond matters more than we think.
Scripture
“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
— James 5:16 (ESV)
Mental Health Moment
Carrying guilt — even unconfirmed or imagined guilt — is exhausting. It weighs down your mind, distorts your thoughts, isolates you in relationships, and chips away at your sense of worth. Sometimes, we carry it for years, unsure whether we’ve done something wrong or just feel like we have.
But the invitation of the gospel isn’t more shame — it’s freedom.
Confession, both to God and to others, isn’t about self-shaming. It’s about releasing the weight of secrecy and stepping into the light. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together, “A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself.”
When we choose honesty — even imperfect, stumbling honesty — we create space for healing. Emotionally. Spiritually. Relationally.
Practice for Today
Think of one conversation you’ve been avoiding.
It might be something small, or something big you’ve dragged with you for too long.
Write down what you’d say if fear wasn’t driving the moment.
Then pray this:
“God, give me the courage to speak with honesty and humility — not to defend myself, but to love truthfully.”
And if it’s safe and wise to do so… have the conversation.
A Prayer for the Hiders and the Honest
Jesus,
You see it all — the mistakes I made, the ones I feared I made, the ones I don’t want to face.
But You don’t shame me. You invite me out of hiding.
Give me the courage to speak truth in love.
To seek peace, not perfection.
And to believe that honesty really does set people free.
Amen.
Reflection Prompt
What’s one conversation you’ve been putting off out of fear?
What might change — in you or your relationships — if you chose to face it with honesty?
