November 2025 Connection
I Have A Confession to Make
As we enter this season of thanksgiving – not just the dinner, Lion’s game, and out-of-town family, but a season of gratitude – I can’t help but think about confession. Yep! That wasn’t a typo. I said what I said. Thanksgiving makes me think about confession.
Do I have your attention?
Numerous times in my ministry, I’ve been a part of conversations with United Methodists, other protestants, and even our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters about the practice of confession, and what I’ve discovered is that the spiritual practice of confession is declining, at least among many. Admittedly, if given the chance to practice a spiritual discipline, I’d probably pick the “read my Bible” option before the “share my confession” option. Perhaps that’s because we are less inclined to visit our own shortfalls. There is so much negativity in our world, why add to it!? That said, I suspect that most of our hesitant reaction to the spiritual practice of confession comes as a result of our misunderstanding what it’s all about.
You see, confession, at least in part, is an opportunity to come face to face with our human-ness It will come as no surprise to anyone – especially close friends and family – that I am not perfect. Regularly, I fall short of what it means to love God, neighbor and self as Jesus instructs us to. But, before calling the bishop to give him this insight, let me remind you that this is true for…all of us. We fall short! All of us! And confession reminds us of that. It reminds us of who we are.
But that’s just half of it. As much as it reminds us of who we are, it also reminds us of whose we are. We are a people – a creation of God’s - wrapped in a covenant of love and grace shared with us through Christ! Confession gives us an opportunity to confess our shortcomings and then hear the proclamation, “through the compassion, love and grace of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
This forgiveness through grace is a central piece of our Christian faith. It reminds us that our God is a God of new beginnings and not hard stops. Our imperfections and human-ness does not define us; the label of “brokenness” does not stick to us. Where the world might want to put a period, God insists that only a comma is needed.
As I mentioned earlier, this season of thanksgiving reminds me of confession. I am immensely grateful for the love and grace of Jesus Christ that meets me where I am and doesn’t give up on me. I am grateful that I can go to God with my confessions and hear the reminder of forgiveness. Furthermore, I am grateful that I have the support of other Christian brothers and sisters who I can share my confessions with, and they too will remind me of God’s grace.
Perhaps this is where we can recover this spiritual discipline of confession. Perhaps it is God’s design that we not do this thing called life alone, and so God places people in our lives who are able to remind us of God’s endless grace.
Today, I have thanksgiving for God’s grace. Today, I have thanksgiving for the assurance that God’s love is not limited by my brokenness. Today, I have thanksgiving for friends, clergy and others who will hear my confessions and remind me that I’m forgiven.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our confession…and in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Peace,
Pastor Brian
Do I have your attention?
Numerous times in my ministry, I’ve been a part of conversations with United Methodists, other protestants, and even our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters about the practice of confession, and what I’ve discovered is that the spiritual practice of confession is declining, at least among many. Admittedly, if given the chance to practice a spiritual discipline, I’d probably pick the “read my Bible” option before the “share my confession” option. Perhaps that’s because we are less inclined to visit our own shortfalls. There is so much negativity in our world, why add to it!? That said, I suspect that most of our hesitant reaction to the spiritual practice of confession comes as a result of our misunderstanding what it’s all about.
You see, confession, at least in part, is an opportunity to come face to face with our human-ness It will come as no surprise to anyone – especially close friends and family – that I am not perfect. Regularly, I fall short of what it means to love God, neighbor and self as Jesus instructs us to. But, before calling the bishop to give him this insight, let me remind you that this is true for…all of us. We fall short! All of us! And confession reminds us of that. It reminds us of who we are.
But that’s just half of it. As much as it reminds us of who we are, it also reminds us of whose we are. We are a people – a creation of God’s - wrapped in a covenant of love and grace shared with us through Christ! Confession gives us an opportunity to confess our shortcomings and then hear the proclamation, “through the compassion, love and grace of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
This forgiveness through grace is a central piece of our Christian faith. It reminds us that our God is a God of new beginnings and not hard stops. Our imperfections and human-ness does not define us; the label of “brokenness” does not stick to us. Where the world might want to put a period, God insists that only a comma is needed.
As I mentioned earlier, this season of thanksgiving reminds me of confession. I am immensely grateful for the love and grace of Jesus Christ that meets me where I am and doesn’t give up on me. I am grateful that I can go to God with my confessions and hear the reminder of forgiveness. Furthermore, I am grateful that I have the support of other Christian brothers and sisters who I can share my confessions with, and they too will remind me of God’s grace.
Perhaps this is where we can recover this spiritual discipline of confession. Perhaps it is God’s design that we not do this thing called life alone, and so God places people in our lives who are able to remind us of God’s endless grace.
Today, I have thanksgiving for God’s grace. Today, I have thanksgiving for the assurance that God’s love is not limited by my brokenness. Today, I have thanksgiving for friends, clergy and others who will hear my confessions and remind me that I’m forgiven.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our confession…and in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Peace,
Pastor Brian
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