I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalm 32:5,7, 11
I imagine digging a hole in the ground. Out of curiosity and desire, I began my pursuit. There was nothing special about the soil or the shovel I used, I simply believed the lie that there was something better and it was worth exploring. I pursued further and found myself surrounded by shame and covered by the shadows of guilt.
I recall moments in my life where my hiding place was my sin. As weighed down, lonely, and tired as it made me feel, I weirdly enjoyed it so I kept at it. What I didn't enjoy was the growing distance between me and the Father. I couldn't bring myself to pray or sing as before. My worship was not true and I struggled with identity.
In Psalms 32, the psalmist emphasizes the joy of confessing our failures to the Lord. I found that being honest with the Lord truly leads to freedom and brings joy. As a result, our communion with the Father becomes the most valuable thing and we can worship from a place of freedom—we can sing shouts of joy! Why? Because we were lost, but now found. Troubled, but now protected. Trapped, but now set free. Friends, don’t dwell in that dark place, bring your sin to the Lord in honesty and watch how he exchanges your tears for shouts of praise.
Stanley Belizaire
Father God, thank you for Jesus because, through his death and resurrection, we have freedom and peace. Father, I confess the sins that have been weighing me down. I no longer want to hide from you, but long for you to be my hiding place. Please restore joy in my life and fill my heart with a desire to worship you forever. In Jesus name, Amen.
