Confession
A powerful tool we have to help us along the spiritual path is confession. As St. Augustine said, “The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works.” This practice is usually the result of self-examination and associated feelings of remorse, and the desire for change. In general terms, confession is the open acknowledgement of one’s faults or passions with this expressed intent of exposing the problem so as to seek help and healing.
Talking about and confessing our sins and passions is like grabbing our most antagonizing demon by the neck and dragging him out of the darkness and into the light. This signifies to the enemy that we are not hiding and we are no longer afraid. Pulling the sin into the light is the most effective way of starting to burn the sin away.
Our honest confessions are the antithesis of our secrets. The secrets that we conceal, and sadly cherish and protect, slowly rot the soul as a sort of spiritual disease. Like an antibiotic, admission and confession start the process of killing the disease, which can restore the health of the soul.
The Church Fathers sometimes refer to this practice as “revelation of thoughts.” Revealing your thoughts to a skilled pastor, and even a trusted spouse or friend, can help to articulate one’s troubles. A saint of the modern times, Elder Joseph the Hesychast († AD 1959), said:
My child, do you want to crush the head of the serpent? Openly reveal your thoughts in confession. The strength of the devil lies in cunning thoughts. Do you hold on to them? He remains hidden. Do you bring them to the light? He disappears. And then Christ rejoices, the prayer progresses, and the light of grace heals and brings peace to your mind and heart.
St. Maximus the Confessor said: