confession

I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 32:5
Confession does for our soul what working the ground does for the soil. Before the farmer sows his seed he works the land, removing the rocks and pulling the stumps. Why? Because seed grows better in prepared soil.
Confession invites God to walk the acreage of our hearts. "There's a rock of greed over here, Father. I can't budge it. And that tree of lust near the fence? Its roots are long and deep. And here's some dry soil, too crusty for seed!" Confession seeks pardon from God, not amnesty. Pardon accepts guilt; amnesty, derived from the same Greek word as amnesia, "forgets" the offence without acknowledging guilt.
Remember Peter who denied his Master when he should have defended Him? How did the New Testament writers know the details of Peter's failure? How did Matthew know Peter's accent made him a suspect? How did Luke learn of the glance of Jesus that melted Peter's heart? Who told all four Gospel writers about the crowing rooster and flowing tears? Most likely, Peter himself! "Fellows, I've got to get something off my chest." He describes that terrible morning, the fire, the girl, and the look on the face of Jesus. How can we be sure of this? Because Peter couldn't stay away from Christ! Who was the first man to run to the empty tomb? Who was the first to jump out of the boat and swim to Jesus who stood on the shore? Peter! Those who keep secrets from God keep their distance from God. But those who are honest with God, draw near to God.