Listen

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 32:1–5

Think

You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: there’s more to the season of Lent than solemnity. For 40 days we are invited by the Spirit to come clean before God and with ourselves, that we might breathe in the beauty of a clean slate and celebrate the gift of a fresh start.

Our journey begins with encountering and acknowledging our sins and shortcomings, transitions into confessing to God our brokenness and need for restoration, and ends in receiving God’s forgiveness and reveling in the joy new life in Christ brings. And while God’s forgiveness isn’t contingent on our confession, it seems that our experience of how it feels to be forgiven and freed for new life just might be.

So as your journey through the wilderness continues, don’t forget to breathe. Exhale all your fears, failures, and shortcomings and inhale the cleansing breath of God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Grier Booker Richards

Pray

Loving God, forgive me for what I have done and for what I have left undone. Draw me close to you and mold me into the disciple you need me to be. Amen.

Go

Go now with faith into your struggle.

Avoid distractions of the spectacular;
See beyond the illusions,
And recognize you have what you need
To move beyond guilt to freedom.

You have been claimed by grace
And are called to celebrate the life of joy.