I was looking out the window one autumn day while I was eating lunch and noticed the absence of leaves on the trees. Their bareness made me think of sin and my transparency with God.
During my quiet times with God, I set aside time for confession and to be completely transparent with Him. Sometimes I know exactly what I need to confess because the offense was blatant and not easy to hide. However, there are sins that slide under the radar.
On mornings when I cannot think of any sins to confess, I go to Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” I pray these verses in Psalm to ask God to show me how I have offended Him. I am human. I know I am a sinner and incapable of being perfect. Just because I cannot recall a sin I may have committed does not mean I have not committed one.
Regularly confessing sin is healthy for a Christian to do. Just imagine if you got a bath only when you thought you were dirty. The dirt and grime that would pile up would be unhealthy for your body. Just confessing sins when you get caught or when your guilt finally bubbles over would be like getting a bath when you detect dirt. Not taking care of your unconfessed sin is unhealthy to you spiritually.
Another reason for not confessing your sins could be that you do not think you have sinned at all. The Bible says if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8). You may be afraid to go to God to confess your sins. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us and purify us (1 John 1:9).
The weight of my mental illness and my baggage is more than enough for me to lug around without also carrying unconfessed sin. It is so freeing to lay my sins down at the feet of the cross every day. Jesus died once and for all. The penalty for our sins was paid by Jesus Christ, so we can live a life of freedom from sin.