No Filter: The Freedom of Confession

Yesterday morning, during my daily Bible study, I was reading about forgiveness. As I flipped through the scriptures, I came across two images that stopped me. One was 1 John 1:9: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” The other was a simple prayer of confession.

And listen, I don’t know why, but my brain immediately went to Usher’s Confessions album. Like, it had me joking with myself... “Dang, do I need to drop my own Confessions Part II right now?” 🎶 Except unlike Usher’s version, our confessions with God aren’t about drama and scandal (well, it might be), they’re about being honest so he can set us free.

Together, they hit me like: wow. This isn’t just about forgiveness.... it’s about freedom. And honestly, I felt inspired to write about it, because let’s be real: most of us struggle to actually confess things out loud.

Here’s the thing: confession has gotten a bad reputation. We hear that word and think “awkward church moment” or some kind of walk of shame. But confession is less about humiliation and more about liberation.

Think about how you feel when you’ve been holding in a secret, or pretending to be okay when you’re not. On the outside, you’re putting on the Instagram filter; smiling, posting, curating the “I’ve got it all together” vibe. But inside? Heavy. Exhausted. Drained.

Then comes the moment you finally spill it. To a friend, to a therapist, or maybe even in your journal. Suddenly, it’s like you can breathe again. That’s what confession is with God. A soul-level exhale.

And the best part? God isn’t sitting there with a clipboard, tallying up your failures. 1 John 1:9 makes it clear: He is faithful and just. Faithful means he’ll forgive you every single time. Just means he’s not out here holding grudges or waiting to cancel you over your mistakes.

The prayer I read summed it up so well:“God, I confess that I have not always been the person you’ve created me to be… Please forgive me, God. Transform my heart and renew my mind so that I can draw closer to you.”

That’s the vibe. Confession isn’t just saying “I messed up.” It’s saying, “God, here’s the real me. Change me from the inside out.”

Because confession isn’t about distance, it’s about closeness. It’s the opposite of ghosting God. It’s choosing to be authentic instead of performing. It’s ripping off the filter and saying, “Here’s the raw version of me, Lord.”

And in return? He doesn’t hit you with shame. He hits you with grace.

So here’s the challenge: don’t carry the weight of unspoken guilt, regret, or mistakes.

Drop it.

Confess it.

Breathe.

Because God’s mercy is bigger than your mess and his forgiveness is already waiting... no filter required.