Those lead-in words above usually spark some curiosity. Sadly, we are sometimes only interested in seeing the dirty low-down on somebody else, rather than preparing ourselves to genuinely aid a broken heart. The Bible gives us some instruction on fessin’ up to our faults, “…the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…” (James 5:15-16).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer raises an interesting discussion when he asks if it is easier for us to confess our faults to a perfect and holy God or to an equally fault-filled fellow human being. Sometimes we fool ourselves when only confessing our sins to God in that in reality we are actually confessing to ourselves, and in the same breath granting ourselves absolution.

It would be eternally grand for each of us to have a trustworthy pastor, friend, or kindred spirit who will take our confession of faults and pray for us and leave it at that. It does the soul well to speak the unspeakable to one who will intercede on your behalf. It guards against self-deception and rescues us from disaster.