James 5:16 (NIV) –Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Dr. Henry Cloud says that many Christians do the vertical confession of I John 1:9, where they confess to God, but not to others. We are made to experience both, and it is one of the reasons that Jesus commands us to love one another. When we establish deep, loving, grace filled relationships in a small group, we can find compassion for the times we fail. We can find accountability to press through to real change. God wants our faith to connect to life in very practical ways that result in spiritual transformation. Do you have people with whom you can be honest and who will help you grow through your tough times without the sledge hammer of condemnation?
One Comment
Jane Patterson
Personally speaking, No such place exists in this day and time….never has. Foreign territory to me. I am challenged with this practice. Wish to grow and to understand. Words are like vessels, they contain the power to tear down and to build up. When conflicts arise, those you trust, turn on you. A lifetime of experience has not altered this.