Spring Cleaning Your Sins

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

Proverbs 28:13

With sunny days comes the inspiration to spring clean your house and yard. The additional light reveals all the dust, leaves and debris that built up over the dark, lazy winter. While it might be easy to see the telltale signs of neglect around your home, it is often more difficult to pinpoint the sins that surmount on your soul.

Exhaustion and pessimism often go hand-in-hand with unconfessed sins. Perhaps one day you gave in to gossiping about a friend, co-worker, family member or associate. Maybe you got angry and said something you regret. Possibly you lied to your boss about being sick to get a day off. Or your sins could be something else. Everyone has their own faults and makes mistakes.

As human beings, we are subject to sin. This is the reason God sent his only son Jesus. The final error is not in the sin itself but in failing to confess the sin and give it to Him. If you do not release the sin and let it go to Him, you cannot enjoy His forgiveness and mercy.

Recently I was called to confess my own sins. I participate in more than one church for several personal reasons. I was raised a Catholic and my children are getting the same religious education along with activities at another Christian church for a broader perspective.

My daughter made her first reconciliation last Sunday. I had not attended confession in over 12 years. A friend sitting in the pew in front of me admitted she had not gone for 10 years but felt so light and free after a recent confession.

My mom and the religious education coordinator (another friend) encouraged me to confess myself. A traveling, Spanish-speaking priest was present and he looked pleasant and approachable. I remembered him conducting a lovely Spanish mass I attended at our church a couple of years ago so I felt comfortable about talking to him. Visiting our regular pastor felt intimidating and I just wasn't ready.

While of course I wont go into the details of my confession, it was a wonderful experience. Much like everyone said, I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders after speaking with Jesus through the priest.

The priest was compassionate and understanding. He let me know while he was there to help, I could relieve my burdens and sins directly to Jesus anytime. My "penance" was to take an hour alone at the beach every week to let go of personal burdens in a journal. This was definitely the best "penance" I ever received!

I learned Jesus is there for me whenever I need to let go of the sins of yesterday. I also discovered I felt lighter, freer and more capable once I confessed my sins to Him. The joy of forgiveness and His mercy overcame me and fueled my week in a wonderful way.

Now that spring is here, it's time to spring clean your spirit so you can walk in faith and love again. Are sins and personal burdens dragging you down? Has it been a long time since you admitted your sins to Him? Did you feel relief when you finally gave your sins and burdens to Jesus? Please feel free to comment or post your own thoughts.

Have a beautiful, blessed day!