Just Admit It

Scripture – Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. James 5:16

Thoughts about what this Scripture means – God promises that when we are honest with others about our faults and pray for each other we will be healed. There will be great power and great results when righteous people pray earnestly.

Application to my life – One of my faults is comparison. It’s not usually a verbal one but in my head. I tend to go between two extremes.

1. Comparing my strengths to others’ weaknesses. God usually breaks me out of this comparison by reminding me that those areas of weakness, I too once faced. He reminds me that it was only by His power and grace coupled with my surrender, that He delivered me. Nothing of this changed was in and of myself.
2. Then there are those people who I compare my weakness to their strength. God has to remind me I am on a journey and that my walk is not their walk. Sometimes He will show me why I am not strong in an area and what I can do to correct it.

I have many faults. I’m getting better at admitting them to other women so they can pray for me. I realize that a lot of times I fail, as Christians we fail, to admit our faults and weaknesses. We feel shame or guilt in our faults and instead of sharing them, praying and getting healed, we hide or minimize them. This provides a distorted image of our Christian walk and fails to give the glory to God. It is our pride that gets the glory.

When we live authentically, we are able to encourage others to do the same. We can just admit it, the faults we would rather hide. Then we are able to release the power of God through prayer. God gets the glory as people see powerful results of that prayer. When we don’t admit it, people may see a change but they don’t realize that it’s God that has caused this change. They miss the opportunity to see and be part of an answered prayer.

When we fail to admit our faults, we don’t allow people to exercise their ability to offer powerful prayers. We don’t allow people to reinforce their identity in Christ as righteous. We don’t allow them to build up faith as they see the powerful results of prayer.

When we fail to admit our faults, we also discourage others who are struggling because we appear to have it all together. They are focused on their own faults and Satan will take every opportunity to make them think they are the only Christian with problems. Our silence opens that door and reinforces the lie.

It is time that we tear down the walls and just admit it. We all have faults. Mine may not look like yours, but I still have them. You may not struggle with the same faults as me, but you still have them. Only God, through the power of prayer has the ability to help each and every one of us overcome our faults and find healing in Him.

Response to God – Lord help me to be honest with others about my faults. Not just those you’ve already help me overcome, or the ones people can see but those You’re currently working on. Lord let me pray bolder, more powerful prayers when others share their faults. Let us stand together in prayer and just admit it that we may see Your wonderful results.