Our scripture this morning is James 5:13-16.
Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
In this passage James speaks to us about prayer, praise and confession. Prayer and praise are usually ok with us, but that whole confession thing is hard. We often find it difficult to admit our wrongdoing, just as Adam and Eve did after choosing selfishly in the garden.
First and foremost, we must confess to God. The very definition of sin is an offense against God. He already knows, but when we express regret and repentance to Him, it brings us into the healing process.
Likewise, if we have sinned against one another we must admit the act and apologize to both them and God. This may be painful, but it the only way to stop the hurt on both sides of the issue. If someone confesses to us, we must offer them forgiveness. God stands ready to reunite us all in His love when we confess and forgive.
Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we hurt You and others. Help us to ask forgiveness and restore our relationship with You and our brothers and sisters. Amen.