Do you ever feel like you’re the only Christian who is struggling?
 
You wake up every morning, put on your Christian mask, and go about your day hiding behind your Christian jargon to divert attention away from what’s actually going on in your life. 
 
I’ve been there. I think plenty of us have.
 
During my college years, I went through an exceptionally hard season. I was trying to contend with some family life matters that were out of my control and were causing a lot of chaos and confusion.
 
As a result, I ended up pushing God away and began making some terrible decisions. I refused to face the issue at hand and instead ran to whatever kept my mind occupied enough to not have to think about it… even if it was sinful.
 
Outwardly, it appeared that I was content and not going through a dark time. I still went to church, always showed up at my small group every week, and spoke as if I had everything together. But internally I was a wreck. I was experiencing anger, shame, sadness, loneliness, and also a considerable amount of hate (toward myself and others). I knew I was headed down a path I didn’t want to be on, but didn’t feel like I had the strength to get off.
 
At the time, I couldn’t conceive the idea of talking with someone about what I was going through and how I was coping. That seemed too terrifying and humiliating.
 
But one evening on campus, I was meeting with a few lab partners, and God ended up using that time in a very unexpected way. One of the other students opened up and confessed to us about her struggles with some destructive behavior and how she wanted to stop but needed help. I remember being so taken aback by her courage and boldness.
 
Over those next couple of hours, support and encouragement were given and more confessions were made from other people. It was like a ripple effect.
 
That night, God provided a safe place for me to confess my own sins and come to terms with what was happening in my life. I felt the weight of the burden being lifted and repentance and healing came soon after.
 
There is power in confession. There is freedom in confession.
 
The enemy is fully aware that shame grows in the dark. It thrives on silence, but won’t survive when spoken. It’s through confession that we really see God’s omnipotence and the enemy’s weakness.
 
Proverbs 28:13 says this:
 
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
 
If you’re in a season of struggling, I encourage you to cast light on the dark areas in your life. Don’t continue to hide and allow the enemy to steal your joy. Start walking down the pathway to grace and forgiveness.
 
-Jen