Rubbing My Nose In It -- 1 John 1:9

 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

When I was in my darkest hour I desperately searched for a hand to grab and someone or
something to hold onto. This was right after my daughter was born and depression had clouded
my reasoning. In a desperate attempt to crawl out of that fog, I began reading my Bible. I was
unable to feel Him near me while I read His word and I was so lost. I remember falling asleep
with my Bible open on my lap. When I woke up, I looked down at the open pages. The passage
from 1 John 1:9 leaped off the page at me and I felt as if I had been knocked over the head!

I was suffering from postpartum depression but my depression went deeper than that. I had
sinned against God and had never truly cried out to Him my sin, my shame. He was there,
waiting for me to call to Him and confess what I had done. Even though He knew what I had
done, He still waited patiently for me to tell Him. 

My own conscience and guilt were preventing me from opening up to my heavenly Father and allowing His grace to cover me and heal me. I remember thinking to myself, “What an idiot! I have been so stubborn!” I know when to admit I was wrong and seek a way to fix it. It was right there in front of me, 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just...” I finally brought myself to have a true heart-to-heart with Him.

“...and [He] will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” After having my
heart-to-heart, I could feel within my soul this peace and it was as if the sun started shining
outward from my soul. There was a radiance that I felt and I knew that He had taken my sin and
my depression away, made me feel whole and strong again.

Is it time for you to have a heart-to-heart with the Lord?