Monday, January 26, 2026

Bible in a Year: Joshua 11-15 | Mark 16

Last week I confessed to you that I have anger issues. While confession isn’t the prescribed antidote for anger, it certainly helped me bring it into the light! I journaled and confessed to trusted friends and a counselor about the unmet expectations that led to my anger. I also had to deal with the guilt I felt as I considered my responsibility to express my expectations within the relationship. How had I contributed to dimming its light? Could I reignite the energy it once had?

As I confessed and took responsibility, there was shame. But I remembered that nothing takes God by surprise, and there is nothing I could do to make him love me less. I also knew I needed to extend the same forgiveness I’d been extended to the source of my disappointment.

Some of my favorite verses speak to this truth:

1 John 1:9
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (emphasis added).

No unmet expectation or unintended neglect holds a candle to what God, through Jesus, has already forgiven us for. Jesus gave his life to free us from guilt, anger, greed, jealousy, and pride! Bringing those emotions out into the light exposes them for the false idols they are. When we confess what is hidden, we place it into God’s hands.

Paul tells us to be kind and tenderhearted to each other (Ephesians 4:31-32). Some days, that feels like a tall order. But staying close to the one who loves us best is worth the effort! I’ve learned that confession and forgiveness is not one and done. It is a regular practice that keeps us dependent on God’s power through the Holy Spirit.

There may be days when you feel you’re confessing the same thing, over and over! But Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

He hears us.

He loves us.

He invites us to bring him our burdens, and he promises to meet us with grace.

James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Questions:
Do you have someone in your life who you trust to hear your confession? Can you be that friend to someone else?

Next Steps:
Pray and ask God to reveal who it is in your life you can trust with your hidden thoughts. It is scary to admit we have them, but people often already know what you think you’re hiding.

If you don’t have a place to find connection and build meaningful relationships with others you can trust, consider joining a Group.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, how grateful I am that your love for me is not conditional. If I were you, I would have given up on me long ago, but you never do and never will. I don’t think I’ll ever understand that. Lord, give me the grace to love the people you put in my life. Give me the wisdom to navigate difficult relationships with understanding and love - the same love you’ve always shown me. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Hebrews 2:1
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.

This post was written by Lauri White, an Oregon attendee, and a regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.