I Doubt It: Week 5 - Tuesday

It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away, and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:2

As we think about prayer, the focus is often on what we are praying about, whether that is our own needs, desires, or hopes, or the needs of others. While our human nature tempts us toward self-focus, Scripture encourages us to think differently about prayer. Rather than focusing on what we are praying for, a better focus is Whom we are praying to: the holy, righteous, loving God of the universe. Understanding to whom we are praying impacts how we approach prayer. For example, it leads us to examine our own hearts and confess any sin in our lives before a holy God.

The prophet Isaiah warns us against unconfessed sin in Isaiah 59. He tells the people of Israel in this passage of Scripture, “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore” (verse 2). These are strong words for the people of Israel. Because of their sin, their relationships with God and their prayer lives were hindered. If we ever question how seriously God takes our sin, all we have to do is look to Isaiah 59. We often put sin in categories ranging from “not so bad” to “truly horrific,” but God has a much different perspective of sin. The truth is, all sin is an affront to Him. It must be taken seriously.

While our temptation may be to hide our sin, we find true freedom from acknowledging it before God. David experienced the freedom that comes from confession, and he wrote about it in Psalm 32. In this passage, he wrote, “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long” (verse 3). David’s sin literally ate away at him and consumed him. Maybe you can relate to his feelings in this verse. There is no life or freedom to be found in concealing sin. David continued writing, “Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt…And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone” (verse 5). Can you sense the freedom and life David experienced from God’s forgiveness as he wrote the words in this verse? Every single time we confess sin, we are met with God’s forgiveness and the life that is found in Him.

Make no mistake, my friend. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayer life. It hinders your relationship with God. If you do not confess it, your guilt will consume you. I urge you today: find freedom in Him. Confess your sin. You will be met with God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Moving Toward Action

Your challenge today is to ask God to search your heart for any unconfessed sin. As He reveals any sin in your life, confess it before Him today. Ask Him to forgive you and commit to letting go of that sin and following Him instead. Don’t forget to thank Him for the forgiveness available through Jesus.

Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.

“God, You are perfect and holy; I am not. I confess…”

Going Deeper

Psalm 32:1-11