Prayer of Confession, P+6A

Call to Confession

Friends, we gather before a God who already knows us completely and loves us deeply. We need not hide our failures or pretend we have everything together. Scripture reminds us:
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9)
Trusting in God's mercy rather than our own righteousness, let us confess our sin together:

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God,
We know what is good, 
yet too often we fail to do it. 
We long to follow Christ,
yet we find ourselves pulled by old fears,
familiar habits,
and selfish desires.
Like Paul, we discover that the good we intend
is not always the good we accomplish.

We confess that we have spoken
when silence would have been kinder.
remained silent
when love called us to speak,
held tightly to our resentments,
and resisted the work of your Spirit within us.

Forgive us for the ways we settle
for less than the life you desire for us.
Forgive us for believing 
that our failures define us
or that our struggles place us
beyond your grace.

Create in us hearts
that delight in your will.
Strengthen us
when temptation comes.
Teach us to depend
not on our own determination,
but on the saving work
of Jesus Christ.
Day by day
​free us from all that keeps us
from loving you with our whole hearts
and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Assurance of God's Grace

Hear the Good News: Paul's cry, "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" is answered with joyful confidence:
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." (Romans 8:1-2)
In Jesus Christ, we are not condemned—we are forgiven. We are not abandoned—we are set free. Thanks be to God!

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another.
The peace of Christ be with you!
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this week.