Confession is Good for the Soul

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

You’ve probably heard the maxim, Confession is good for the soul. Don’t bother looking it up in the Bible. You won’t find it there. It is an old Scottish proverb, which, by the way, has a word missing. It actually says, Open confession is good for the soul.

Regardless, I think the truth of that proverb is replete in Scripture. In fact, confession is a means to glorify God [see Joshua 7].

Confession does for the soul what tilling land does for a field. You’ve probably watched a movie or two, which depict farmers from older times—pre-tractor days. With a horse, or yoked animal, they worked hard to clear the land, removing stones and pulling stumps. Though the work was grueling, they knew that seed grew better in cultivated land—land that was prepared for the seed. 

Confession is an invitation for God to cultivate the acreage of your heart. Perhaps you have a stone of greed that needs to be removed. Maybe there is stump of guilt with long, deep roots. Or you have soil that is dry and parched, way too crusty for anything to grow. God specializes in preparing soil for the seed of His Word. So, invite Him to do so.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the ultimate “Farmers.” Together, they walk the field of your heart; digging out rocks, pulling out stumps—preparing your heart for harvest. Invite them to work the soil of your soul. That’s what confession is all about.

Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me. Joshua 7:19