I know of a Church leader who is walking through a season in which they publicly admitted to having sinned. It is an ugly situation, and the list of sins committed is numerous. As part of their healing process, they stood before their Church and confessed their wrongdoing.

Recently, I spoke with their spouse, and they admitted how difficult the whole situation had been for their marriage and family. On the flip side, they went on to say how finally being honest about their behavior had been incredibly cleansing.

This person had carried the weight of their sin and shame for years upon years. This enormous burden was only lifted when they openly confessed to their behavior.

There is a simple lesson in this painful story. Whenever you are carrying the effects of your mistakes in your soul, you need to find a way to confess them. I am not telling you to stand up in Church and air all your dirty laundry. But you do need to find a trusted Christian friend with whom you can share your deepest, darkest secrets.

For many, this role has been delegated to therapists and counselors because people are assured of confidentiality. That might be a great place for you to start. But you do not have to go that route. You can find someone to confide in and begin sharing your struggles.

So many of the burdens we carry could be removed if only we embraced the power of confession.