The Pathway to a Worry Free Life: Confession

When dealing with worry, many good steps can be taken.  A person can pray about their worries.  They may recite Scripture verses to combat their worries.  They may try to put their worries out of their mind.  

But the worries continue.  Despite all these commendable (Biblical!) actions the fears and anxieties may persist.  What is the deal?

Perhaps we need to take a step back.  The worry-wart may have skipped a most vital step:  confession of it.  Maybe there is no redemption because you've not owed up to it before God and sought His forgiveness for it.

Scripture is clear about the role of confession.  It is not just something to do to "get something off your chest."  Confession is means of restoration and redemption. 

1 John 1:9 -  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
John tells us that God will not just forgive us for our sin, but cleanse us of it.  This is not just a reference to the guilt of our sin.  It includes the actual presence of it too.  God works to purge away our worrisome fears as we acknowledge the reality of this sin in our lives. 

Psalms 51:17 - The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
God loves to see people who are broken for sin.  Instead of despising them, He moves near to them to help them.  He restores and "renews a right spirit" within them (Ps. 51:10).

Proverbs 28:13 - Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
If we are not confessing our sin, we are concealing it.  If that's the case, we will not prosper..  

If we don't confess our worry to God, we are concealing our transgression behind a self righteous, works based religion.  We end up acting like we don't have a problem or acting like we can handle the problem on our own.  

But if we acknowledge the evil we are involved in and take personal responsibilty for our folly, we recieve mercy.  God brings the victory of the cross to bear in our lives and the power and presence of worry will begin to wane.

So, next time your thoughts begin to race or feel yourself becoming anxitious, make a point to pray.  Humbe yourself before God and confess that you have not kept a quiet and determined mind.  Something like this may be approrpriate:

Lord,

I have not put my faith in you nor hoped in your Soveriegn care.  I am troubled by the present situation and have become guilty of stressing about the affairs of life.  I acknowledge that I am overly focused on myself: my control, my welfare, my perception before men. 

​Forgive me for being anxitious and help me to live a life before you that is pleasing.  May you give me courage to live and to work whatever may come.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

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View other articles in this series:  Waging War on Worry, Anxiety, & Fear
1.  Coming to Terms with Worry
2.  Distinguishing Good and Bad Worry