Donna Smith

David had no need to either minimize or maximize his sin. If we are "confessing" to a human friend there might be the temptation to minimze (so that we will appear less sinful) or maximize (perhaps for shock value or to gain more admiration for our contrition). But God knows the unvarnished truth. He saw every act and knew every intent of the heart as we committed the sin. No point trying to impress Him either way. Nothing is hidden from him. True repentance is seeing our sin from God's point of view and determining to flee from that sin in the future because of the pain we have caused Him. Does a prayer of repentance require faith? Indeed it does. To lay our own wickedness out before a Holy righteous God could be a very fearful thing. But we know from His Word that "if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" I Jn 1:9. We develop faith by reading the Word of God. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God". Rom 10:17. If we have established an ongoing relationship with the Lord, we have, no doubt, seen many examples of His love and mercy toward us in the past. And finally, if the Holy Spirit lives within us (and He does if we accept Jesus personally as Savior and Lord) He will lead us into all truth and nourish our faith. In fact, "no one can [even]say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit"! It is the Holy Spirit, Himself, who comes along side to help us in times like this and especially in prayer.