Often confession brings up ideas of going to a confessional to be heard by a priest. Confession is also often thought of as asking for forgiveness. While it is biblical to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16) and it is normal to ask forgiveness in our confession (1 Jn. 1:9); confession is much more.
Confession is possible because of grace. God loves to forgive and he has ALREADY forgiven those who follow Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Confession is our awareness of not just our specific sins, but our perpetual brokenness. Both public and private confession requires truth, authenticity, vulnerability and above all, humility. These are vital to following Jesus well and confession invites us to experience these.
Ancient Christian leaders instructed those following Jesus to include three aspects in confession:
1. Examine your heart. Good confession is born out of honest self-awareness. Good confession is very specific and avoids confessing just a general sense of sin.
2. Experience sorrow for your sin and brokenness. This is deeper than just “feeling bad” about our sin, it is an experience of the soul that is truly in anguish over the stubbornness of our wrong doing. Sorrow is the experience of deep regret and comes as we take confession seriously.
3. Determine to sin no more. Confession is also a statement or desire to end the sin and wrong doing. It is not a promise not to sin (Who can guarantee that?), but a stated desire not to sin.
Confession can be a private matter between the follower of Jesus and God. But confession should also be done with others. Choose those you can “reasonably” trust. If you hear a confession, respond in grace and commit yourself to sharing the confession to others.
We typically think of worship as a worship service and/or the activities of singing, praying, praising and taking communion. These may lead to worship, but worship is so much more than these activities. We can worship everyday in many ways. So we move beyond the forms of worship. While worship is something we do, it is so much more.
Worship is all about the Person to whom is worthy of honor. The act of worship is giving God worth and honor. It can come in an unplanned moment as we see an amazing Tucson sunset. It is to see God, sense God, experience God and give attention to God in whatever manner is most appropriate and/or natural in a given moment.
Worship is about who God is and what he has done or is doing. There is no end to the things that can direct our worship.
Worship can include praise, thanksgiving, gratitude, appreciation, adoration, awe, confession and even service. Sometimes we say or sing these things. Sometimes they occur in silence. Sometimes we do this with others and sometimes alone.
In the end, worship is our spirit connecting with the Spirit of God. You know you have worshiped when you have made an authentic connection with God.
Jesus often sought places of quiet and solitude. It was a regular practice of his.
- 40 days in the desert (Mt. 4:1-11)
- Before choosing the 12 (Lk. 6:12)
- On news of John the Baptist’s death (Mt. 14:13)
- After feeding the 5000 (Mt 14:23)
- After a day of crowds and activity (Mk. 1:35)
- After a mission of the 12 (Mk. 6:31)
- After healing a leper (Lk. 5:16) Note: it says he did this OFTEN
- The transfiguration (Mt. 17:1-9)
- The garden before his death (Mt. 26:36-46)
In the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry (Mk. 1:35), Jesus withdrew from the crowds and tons of activity. He was doing great things and helping a huge number of people. But he took off on his own. The result was that he was able to again listen to God who was directing him to move on to the next town. He avoided the temptation of being popular to the crowds in order to fulfill the mission of God.
The purpose of silence and solitude is not to be alone but to be alone with God. Some people call this “quiet time.” But modern quiet times seem to be too “busy” with activity. Silence and solitude is not a busy time. It allows us to listen to God and even to what our bodies and souls are telling us (if we slow down enough to listen). In silence and solitude we “shut up” so we can listen and “quiet” all the other noises and distractions so we can hear the “still small voice” of God who chooses not to shout at us over our loud and busy lives.
I have often found new direction, correction (I was going down the wrong path), encouragement (when I was wallowing in self-pity) and most of all re-connection with God in my times of silence and solitude. Most recently that happened during a short 25 minute “retreat” in my day sitting by the fountain at the church building! Here are some practical ways to practice (something we DO) silence and solitude:
- Take advantage of the everyday opportunities of “moments” of solitude like lunch time, a morning walk, quiet time in the morning, etc.
- Create a place in your home or apartment where you can “retreat” on a regular basis. I know of a guy who literally cleaned out a closet and put a chair in there to have a quiet place. I know others who made a special place in their back yard where they can retreat in silence and solitude.
- Find some places like a park, the church court yard, the Saguaro National Park (one of my favorite), etc.
- Plan a short retreat once or twice a year. Go to a hotel, go camping, go to a retreat center or B&B or find a place out of your normal routine. Don’t take a ton of things to do or read. Just take your Bible and some blank paper and get away and be quiet and listen and be alone with God. You’ll be amazed at what you hear from the One who deeply loves you.
- Take a half day retreat several times a year. You can stay in town, but just find a place of quiet where you won’t be interrupted.
- Be sure to turn off you cell phone during these times - including the vibrate mode. In the “old days” before cell phones we were out of touch for long periods and the world did not end.
Glen
Celebration of Discipline - The Path to Spiritual Growth
By Richard Foster
HarperCollins - 1988
The Spirit of the Disciplines - Understanding How God Changes Lives
By Dallas Willard
HarperCollins - 1990
Running on Empty: Contemplative Spirituality for Overachievers
By Fil Anderson
Random House, Inc - 2005
The PAPA Prayer: The Prayer You’ve Never Prayed
By Larry Crabb
Thomas Nelson - 2006
