When we try confessing we are often surprised it is not received well. Sometimes we are told “don’t apologize” by someone who does not want to recognize your imperfections for fear that it would show their imperfections too. Sometimes our confession is met with a barrage of more accusations to ensure that the spotlight is on our imperfections and the accusers imperfections are never brought into the light. Othertimes the response to our confession is that what we have done will not or cannot be forgiven because the person we confessed to believes that the damage we have done is irreparable, even by God. 

Scripture calls us as confessors to love those who are living in spiritual darkness and show them grace, even when they treat us with unforgiveness. If we find ourselves struggling to accept confession from others we may need to address where we are hiding from God’s spiritual light or where we may not trust his ability to heal what humans have broken.