The Hamster Wheel of Shallow Confessions

Ezra 10:1-4 [1] While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown  before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.   [2] Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel,  an Elamite, responded to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples,  but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. [3] Let us therefore make a covenant before our God  to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God.  Let it be done according to the law. [4] Get up, for this matter is your responsibility,  and we support you. Be strong and take action! ”

These verses give us a great picture of confession and repentance. Far too often, we confess our sins, not because we are truly broken over the fact that we sinned against God, but that we got caught. At other times we confess in hopes of escaping the consequences of being caught. Even if God is gracious and allows us to be forgiven without any life altering consequences; the fact that, shortly thereafter, we repeat our sinful behavior, is evidence that our confession was shallow and our repentance was nonexistent. True confession is viewing our sin as God sees it, with no excuses or attempts at justifying our actions. It is acknowledging that the main Person we sinned against is God Himself. Repentance comes from a heart that determines not to repeat the sinful behavior. It is a turning away from whatever it is that has motivated us to sin against God. It is about submitting under the authority of God and His Word, and walking in obedience. Does this mean that we will never stumble? Of course not. However, it does mean that our pet sin is no longer a pet, and that what was once a lifestyle is now the exception, and not the rule. When we sin, we must acknowledge it, confess it, and prayerfully set boundaries for ourselves. We must do our best to keep those boundaries in place, in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not strong enough, in our flesh, to live a victorious Christian life. Nonetheless, God knows our heart when we truly desire to turn from sin, and completely turn to Him. Only when we surrender our will, in repentance, will we find the strength to release those pet sins that keep dragging us down and keep us on the hamster wheel of shallow confessions.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on the Name of Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation (Romans 10:13).