Grace Found in Asking

“But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong.” — 1 John 1:9 (CEB)

As today’s verse speaks of confessions, I have two to share. First, higher math has never been my strong suit. Algebra, calculus, statistics — they all felt like foreign languages to me. When I was finishing my B.A. degree, I had to take a business statistics class taught by a gruff former merchant marine who had served in WWII. He was the kind of professor who could intimidate you before he ever said a word.

My second confession is, I’ve never liked asking for help, and I certainly felt disinclined to ask him. But I knew I couldn’t pass the class on my own. So, I finally worked up the courage to go to his office. To my surprise, the man who seemed so stern in the classroom turned out to be patient, kind, and genuinely invested in his students’ success. The fear and embarrassment I had carried were things I had projected onto him — not truths about who he was.

I think many of us approach God the same way. Despite knowing that God is faithful and just, we hesitate to confess our sins or ask for help because we’re embarrassed or assume God must be disappointed in us. And any insecurity we carry, the enemy is more than happy to amplify. Guilt, shame, hesitation — none of these come from God.

Scripture tells us the truth: God is faithful and just. God longs to forgive. God is already leaning toward us in mercy. All God asks is that we come honestly, repent earnestly, and desire to walk in a new way. When we do, God meets us not with rejection but with cleansing grace — washing away what we cannot fix on our own.

Faithful God, thank You for Your steady mercy. In Your grace and justice, You forgive and make us new. We confess that we sin in ways we see and in ways we do not see. Lift the weight we carry and help us walk today in Your strength and Your righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Tim