Mind Meld of A Different Kind

PSALM 32
A psalm of David.

Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

Yes, what joy for those

whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,

whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When I refused to confess my sin,

my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.

Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Interlude

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you

and stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Interlude

Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,

that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

For you are my hiding place;

you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.

Interlude

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.

Do not be like a senseless horse or mule

that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

Many sorrows come to the wicked,

but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

The high risk of honesty
Honesty risks rejection. Speaking a painful truth often produces anger and relational awkwardness or worse, brokenness. This is always the risk of honesty whether or not the spoken truth is an admonition or a confession. And so, very often, we engage in burying a truth that needs speaking or performing a verbal dance around it that ends up confusing the issue.

Rightly, we often do not trust ourselves or the other person to handle the truth well. Honesty is a burden. Speaking with complete honesty, while it can be wonderfully freeing, can also be the verbal equivalent of placing a backpack full of rocks on the other person’s shoulders.

Honesty is a rather complicated thing in human relationships. What truths do I need to give verbal exposure? What truths are best left unspoken? When do I speak a needed truth? What words do I use so that I truly communicate and the other person receives it in a healthy way? What non-verbal communication gets attached to my words that will twist the message in ways I don’t intend?

I am so glad that honesty with God comes without complication or risk! I can say anything to him, at anytime, and with any non-verbal attachments! In fact, as David discovered, God wants complete honesty from us. In this Psalm, he celebrates the honesty of confession.

Confessing my deepest feelings, my darkest sins, or my dogged struggles does not ruffle God’s feathers, offend his ego, threaten his security, or hurt his feelings. Defined by pure love, he welcomes my honesty and, more amazing, welcomes me.

Holy Love, bless you for not being complicated! I praise you for never rejecting me because of my honesty. Thank you for forgiveness, release from guilt, and yes, your admonitions and discipline. - Mike Leamon

Festering guilt
The month of June and July was sliver time for me when I was still on the farm. Working without gloves in dry hay is like trying to handle a porcupine without gloves. You are going to get pricked at least once.

A hay sliver is not only painful; it is hard to get out. The hay tends to disappear in your hand and you can feel it, but you can’t see it. Not until it starts to fester are you easily able to remove it.

Guilt is sort of like a hay sliver. It gets into your life and disappears under your skin. No one else can see it, but you can feel it. The only way to remove guilt is to confess your wrong to God and those who you have hurt, but that is not easy. Left alone, guilt will eat you up. It undermines our ability to accept God’s grace in our lives and our ability to give grace to others. Since we are feeling so rotten inside, everyone else should feel rotten as well.

Left unchecked, guilt can turn into such a serious infection part of our life may eventually be cut off. David certainly knew what it felt like to walk around with regrets. He had slipped up a time or two (actually several times) and we do not have all the stories of his life in Scripture. David also knew the freedom and joy that accompanies confession.

1 John 1:9 tells us if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The joy of the follower of Christ is we do not have to live in guilt; we can live in forgiveness and joy.

It is so wonderful to experience your forgiveness and grace when we confess our sins Father. I marvel in the joy of your salvation and the freedom of your grace. I am blessed to be able to confess my sins to you and experience your grace. - Dan Jones