Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16 (NLT)

The Apostle James encourages us to confess our sins and pray for one another. He is telling us that sin, if not dealt with, will have an impact on both our personal and communal lives. This is because sin separates us from God and makes us ashamed to approach Him. And often, it is typically the main reason why people avoid church because they believe it is a gathering for perfect people.

The gospel is explicitly clear that a church is a place where no perfect people are allowed. Rather, we come as broken people with flaws, hurts, and wounds and we experience health and healing by offering the same love and grace that God has shown us.

According to Jesus, sin is not a crime to be punished, but rather a sickness to be healed. When we open ourselves up to the healing power of the gospel, God not only forgives but also forgets our sins.

While confessing our sins may appear daunting, it is actually liberating and empowering. We often choose to mask our shame and feelings of worthlessness, but our inability to express our greatest fear and struggle keeps us from becoming whole people. This is not to say that you should go around embarrassing yourself by telling everyone your darkest secret. It is about having open and honest conversations with trusted friends, telling them about the changes you want to see in your life and inviting them to pray for you and support you along the way.

It takes a lot of humility and vulnerability to acknowledge to someone that we messed up, and even more courage to ask for forgiveness, understanding, and support. We become stronger and better people when we commit to being accountable for each other's spiritual growth and well-being.