When You’ve Sinned & Feel Unworthy, God Still Welcomes You Home

Anytime we sin, our natural inclination is to suppress it, hide it, and deny it. We assume that by not acknowledging our wrongdoings, perhaps they don’t exist. Or that if we forget about them, the shame and guilt will also dissipate.

Here, Karin Hadadan, best-selling author of Beauty in the Stillness, reminds us that no sin is too dark for God’s light.

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

But in reality, hiding our sins doesn’t change the way God sees us. The only thing we prevent ourselves from experiencing, by holding it in, is the freedom that God promised us—justice, forgiveness, and cleansing that will restore our spirits.

God is not only reliable, but His faithfulness makes confession safe—we are protected, nurtured, embraced, and loved, even when we acknowledge where we went wrong. Because when we honestly agree with God about our sins, He immediately forgives us, releasing us from guilt and penalty, and purifying our spirit through cleansing and ongoing sanctification. This act—of confessing—is not just a one-time act when we make big mistakes, but a continual practice for the minor moments throughout our day where we stray from holiness. Gossiping, cheating, lying, speaking cruel words, spilling anger onto others. We sin each day, but it’s through acknowledging these to God that we not only receive complete cleansing but learn from that moment to not repeat those same patterns. And the more we confess, the more we experience transformation—freeing us from living in dark energy and embracing the light of divine mercy.

Confession is not a moment of shame, but an act of liberation—an honest returning to God’s light after wandering into the shadows of our own emotions and mistakes. When we hold onto guilt or deny our faults, we distance ourselves from the healing power of divine grace. But when we come before God with transparency, we find that His character is not one of condemnation, but of faithfulness and mercy.

In confession, we acknowledge both our weaknesses and His unwavering willingness to forgive. God invites us to bring even the parts of ourselves we’d rather hide, promising that through repentance and surrender, He will cleanse and renew us. True peace follows when we trust that His forgiveness is complete, allowing us to move forward not in shame, but in the freedom of His grace.