I have been very fortunate to have someone in my life who I consider a mentor and wise friend. She is someone I talked to very often when I was going through the most intense times of Jesus healing my heart a few years back. I told her everything back then (and I mean everything).
This was difficult at times but incredibly helpful for me, in order to process what I was going through. In knowing what I was struggling with, or what trials I was going through, she was also able to effectively pray for me as well.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
I see at least four important points in this scripture:
- Confess your sins to each other.
- Pray for each other.
- …so that you may be healed.
- The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Sitting down and explaining to someone what is in your heart can be so healing, all by itself. Ask them to pray for you! We all need each other and have an important part to play in each other’s lives. We can also hold one another accountable.
What if you do not have anyone you trust to talk to?
What if you are dealing with so much shame that you don’t think you can tell anyone what you are going through?
Start (or continue) talking with The Counselor himself, the Holy Spirit. This can be difficult and intimidating, especially for those who deal with a lot of shame. Trust me, I understand!
Know that He wants you to talk with Him, and He’s not judging what you say. He already knows. You want to develop intimacy with Him, and a way to start doing that is to start talking to Him about what is going on in your life and heart. He wants you to talk with Him.
When I was having difficulty with this, I started writing down how I felt first (since expressing myself in writing is easy for me) and then I eventually started reading out loud what I wrote. I felt a little foolish doing that sometimes, but it helped me learn how to express myself to God, which chipped away at the shame little by little as I received His love for me.
If you are reading this and dealing with any kind of hidden sin that you are trapped in, it is especially important for you to confess this to someone.
If you are a woman struggling with sexual sin of any kind, pray for God to show you a trustworthy woman you can talk to. She can pray for you. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. I know how terrifying it is, but it’s one of the first steps to freedom. Strongholds grow in the dark, but when they are exposed (telling someone), much of their power diminishes.
My healing started when I finally told someone.
Remember…”Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
