confess, forgive, celebrate

There are times when the journey seems too long, when the land of promise seems a hoax dangled before us, and we wish for things we’d gladly left behind.

There are times when we rejoice in the destruction of Pharoah and his armies, take pleasure in the defeat of those who – but for grace or circumstance – we may ourselves have been, forget our own deliverance from slavery to freedom.

These times, in our past and present, we confess.

There are times when we feel like exiles, when we hang our harps on the willow boughs and refuse to sing; or we are offered a return home, but choose to stay in a foreign land.

These times, in our past and present, we confess.

There are times when we search for images that fit, and miss the wider view; when we weed out old concepts, and neglect to create new meaning; when we worry about the lyrics, and forget to sing –

For these times, in past or present, we forgive ourselves.

For those times when we blame ourselves for failing, and forget what we’ve achieved; when we forgive others, but won’t absolve ourselves; when we worry for the future, and don’t appreciate the “now” – we forgive ourselves.

For the things we do and think that hurt only ourselves; for not believing we are lovable, and loved; for letting fear and self-doubt restrict our lives and our potential; for believing in others, but putting ourselves down; for accepting too much and expecting too little; for clinging to old insecurities, and forgetting to let go –

We confess, and forgive ourselves, and start anew.

Come, now: let us wash away regrets, and celebrate renewal.