A few weeks ago, a popular news anchor was caught up in a scandal. He previously had stated, more than once, that a helicopter in Iraq he was riding in was shot, forcing it to land.
Years later, in our present, the truth came out through military personnel that he was not in any helicopter that had been shot, but in a different one flying an hour behind it.
When he was caught, his response was that he made a “mistake” and that his memory was “fogged.” He then tried to justify his actions by saying he was trying to honor and thank a veteran who protected him. Every attempt to apologize just got him in deeper and made things worse — even to the extent of him being suspended from his job.
The truth of the matter is that he just needed to come clean and admit that he lied about the incident instead of trying to making excuses.
The Bible tells us that God expects us to do the same thing when we approach our heavenly Father. When a nonbeliever comes before the Lord, they need to admit they are a sinner and not try to justify why they have lived the life the way they have lived it. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.”
The same truth applies to a Christ follower. If God points his finger on a sin in our life, we shouldn’t try to deny it or justify it, but just be honest and come clean.
Then, and only then, can true forgiveness and healing take place.