Prayer: Confession & Repentance

If we confess our sins, (God) who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ~ I John 1:9

 Come let us return to the Lord... ~ Hosea 6:1a

 One way to pray in a fear-filled world is to choose love over anxiety. ~  Henri Nouwen 

 Life without repentance is spiritual agony. ~ Rumi
I've talked to more than a few people recently who are feeling the very real effects of fear in our polarized world. I'd be lying if I said I didn't share some of those fears.

 People are anxious, whether because of violence, divided politics, economic disparity, climate change, unhealthy relationships, racism, sexism or any of the many other isms in the world. 

 And when we are anxious or fearful, often times we play out that fear in anger. 

 I'm not going to say that anxiety equals sinfulness. Clinical anxiety is a very real thing. But there is also something wonderfully healing about confessing our anxiety: confessing our fears and confessing the anger that fear can lead us to.

 In some ways, one definition of sin is this: a state of being separate from God and from loving relationship, rather than simply actions we do that are wrong. When we live in a state of fear or anger, denying those feelings rather than admitting and confronting them, we miss out on the healing promise of love. 

 Repentance itself a changing of ones mind and heart - literally turning around or turning back to the place of union with God.

Turning back from fear and turn towards life.

 Turning back from anger to love.

 And in order to repent, we have to first acknowledge the need for it. Then we are moved to confess it.

 We are not evil or bad because of our anxiety. If you suffer from it you know exactly how debilitating it can be. 

 And we who have anxiety also know also how desirable it is to live in another state of being. And we also probably know the courage it takes just to admit our anxiety or our fears.

 We are not evil or bad when we are angry. But we who are holding onto anger know the separation we have from others when we are stuck there.

 To confess is to admit out loud something that is keeping us stuck. To verbalize a longing for another way.

 That in itself can begin healing.

 Whatever your fears are today; whatever you are angry about today, know that God is larger than them. Speak the fear or anger aloud to begin to release their power over you.
Prayer: Lord, help me get unstuck today from the fear of ______________ or my anger about  _________________. I confess that this has been holding me back from full union with you. Amen.





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