Besides ourselves, God, and another person we trust, confessing to anyone we’ve sinned against might also be a necessity for their need to overcome the wrong. Love may require it. Or love may require we NOT confess to the harmed person in the likelihood of greater harm. (On this point, I’d agree with those in the Recovery Movement: when confessing to someone will cause them greater harm, better to leave well enough alone. The challenge is to escape from our own excuses for not doing what should be done—an exercise in discernment and discipline.)
This brings us full circle to the 68% of those surveyed who rarely or never take the risk of confessing to another. Would you allow me to be so bold as to challenge you with something? Tenaciously determine to find that person or persons who you can regularly lay your heart before and confess your failings to. Pray confidently for this—because you know God wants you to have such a person or persons. Make sure you have regular, open contact with that person. For pastors who believe that person is not someone in their own congregation (at least presently), I advise them to look for another pastor to confess to. Who might you approach about this?
Why not pick up the phone and make the call right now? It could be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. It certainly was for me.
