“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” — Psalm 32:3

After Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, one of the biggest problems was mold in homes. Our church sent teams to neighborhoods all across greater Houston to help muck out homes ravaged by flooding and found that only a day or two after the floodwaters receded, mold grew and spread quickly through many homes. If inhaled, the mold spores could make people very sick, so we had to wear respirator masks as we cleaned. Mold grows best in warm, dark and moist conditions, but direct sunlight can quickly kill it.

Secret sin is similar to mold — it grows best when it’s kept in the dark, when it’s our little secret, when it’s our private battle. But as long as it is kept in the dark, it’ll continue to grow. The guilt of secret sin can also weigh us down (Psalm 32:3).

James 5:16 gives us the solution to secret sin and the burdensome guilt associated with it: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” The word confess in this passage means to confess out loud to those you’ve offended or hurt because of your sin. This confession brings secret sin from darkness into the light.

So confess your sins to God (1 John 1:9) and to those you’ve offended or hidden your sins from. If you do this, you’ll begin to find victory and healing over your secret sins.

— Ikki Soma, Houston Rockets chaplain