When Confession is Not About You

I continually fight the desire to make my life “about me”. I struggle with not putting myself first and finding the advantage for me in just about everything. Yes, I know this is not right and goes against who I am in Christ but I’m just being honest. Today I was reading Psalm 51 which is a psalm that David wrote after being confronted by the prophet Nathan about David’s sin with Bathsheba. I encourage you to read the entire psalm. Here’s a link to it: Psalm 51 Here is the part that got my attention this morning: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  12  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.

David is asking God to give him a clean heart and create a steadfast spirit in him . He is asking for the joy of his salvation to be restored to him. All that makes perfect sense to me. But then in verse 13 David links his confession to others. David understands the connection between his forgiveness and joy and his ability to teach others so that they can be converted to followers of David’s God. Isn’t it interesting that David’s confession was not just about him? David saw that his right relationship with God was necessary for a bigger purpose, or at least a “just as big” purpose…to be involved in what God was doing in someone else’s life.

In my life, and in yours, our joy of salvation and our cleanness before God are not only important for our sake, but for the sake of others. As others see the joy and peace that only God can bring, God can use that to draw others to Himself. There is really nothing that is “just about me” as it relates to God. Everything connects to how God uses us in the bigger picture, even our own personal confession.

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