Casandra Martin

He called before ten o’clock in the morning and you could hear the tension in his voice. Ice covered the sidewalks at his school, and this morning it got the best of him. Three times he felt his legs slip out from underneath him. Three times, he fell with a hard thud to the ground. Shaken and bruised, he struggled to get back up and keep walking. The distance to his destination seemed to get longer and longer as the ice stretched out on the path before him. After a close encounter with a car slip-sliding on the ice, he reached his class and called home.

He needed some reassurance. He needed to share his fear, embarrassment, and worry. He was anxious about slipping again. We talked for a few minutes and then he went on to class. In the process, he taught me a lesson.

His phone call reminded me of the power of confession. We all slip. Sometimes on ice, but more often on sin, temptation, and unholy habits. We hit a slippery patch and go down. It hurts. It is dangerous. We are shaken and bruised and struggle to get back to our feet. Confession helps us find our balance. When we open our hearts and share our failures and fears, it resets us on firmer footing. It reassures us that we are not alone, that grace is our true reality, and that holding Jesus’ hand is the best way to walk in this slippery world.

My Jesus Resolution today is to embrace confession. Confession is hard. I have to admit that I slipped. I have to say out loud that I can’t walk by myself without falling flat on my face. But confession reassures me that God is on my side. It opens the door so that others can encourage me, lift me up, help me walk, and cheer when I make it. Confession is the remedy for the bruises I get from bumping into the struggles of this world. It showcases the beauty of grace, the faithfulness of God, and the transformation He is working in me for His glory.