Day 18 - Confess In Community... Are You Crazy!

James 5:13 - 5:16 (NIV)

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 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.

Our modern culture celebrates individualism. “Chase your dreams and goals..." “Find what makes you happy...” “Be true to yourself...”

These sound lovely, but they miss the value of community and the growth we experience when we actively participate, serve and nurture others. They also lead to a personalised spirituality that is not always reflective of Jesus’ message or the early church!

God placed believers in community for a purpose: to grow and become who God calls us to be.

Confession in a church community requires great vulnerability. But its rewards are great freedom, encouragement and love!

Are there things you hide from others? Do you feel you have to maintain a certain image before your church community? Who can you trust to begin to truly be open about your struggles so that you can grow together?