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"The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy."
(Proverbs 28:13, CSB)
If you have not already, go ahead and read Proverbs 28, because today is the 28th day of January. (Side note: How many of you have had to correct yourself for writing 2024 and not 2025? Hopefully not just me!) As you read, write down whatever verse or verses really stick out to you this morning, afternoon, evening, or whenever you are reading this devotional.
The verse I would love to spend a little time on now is Proverbs 28:13. This is a very practical verse for followers of Jesus and a great verse for you to memorize if you have not memorized this one yet. This verse talks about what we as followers of Jesus need to do with the sin in our lives. Proverbs tells us to confess and renounce the sin in our lives. Other versions will translate "confess and renounce" as "confesses and forsakes" (ESV) and "confess and turn from them" (NLT). With this verse, my mind immediately jumps to 1 John 1:9 and the promise of God's forgiveness when we confess our sins. We ultimately see the forever forgiveness of our sins that separated us from God at salvation, but there is still sin present in our life here on earth. The Proverbs, along with other scriptures, tell us how we deal with sin.
I love that it is not just confession but this idea of renouncing or forsaking sin. It's not just lip service to God about our sin, but it is abandoning the sin and not going back to it to the best of our ability. Another thing that I love about this is that the result of confessing and renouncing is receiving mercy from God. Not only does God forgive those who confess, but He also gives mercy to those who ask for forgiveness. This verse reminds me of the goodness and mercy of God, along with the need for practical repentance throughout my day, every day.
Today: Receive mercy by confessing and renouncing your sin.
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