India, July 12 -- "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). The Christian life is not a performance of perfection. It is a life lived honestly before God. Many people imagine that faith means appearing strong, hiding failure, and pretending that everything is well. John offers another way. He invites us to walk in the light, and walking in the light begins with confession. Confession is not humiliation before a harsh God. It is truthfulness before a faithful Father. To confess is to stop defending ourselves and to agree with God about what is wrong in us. We name the pride, bitterness, jealousy, dishonesty, resentment, and selfishness that damage our...