A mask?

"...the beginning of wisdom is the confession of sin" (Merton)

In confessing our sinfulness before God, we gain His mercy. It makes the light of His good shine in our lives. We begin to understand our total depravity before Him. Confession of sin shows me that I am a liar and a fraud and that even though I have an obligation to strive after truth, I will inevitably be poisoned with my own truth. Without confession I wear a mask hiding my anxiety, prideful thoughts, and a desire to be heard. This is terrible and I am crushed beneath the weight of it.

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

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:15

We glorify God by confessing sin. I can choose confession or dealing with the dead weight of guilt that drags me down. Many times I find that I am too busy to confess my sins, or too lazy to acknowledge them, or I rationalize I haven't had THAT bad of a day... It's easy to wear a mask of pointing a finger of blame at my circumstances, or my culture, or the people I live with. But when I don't confess my sin, I miss the glory of God. I will grow spiritually as I consciously-- openly-- face the reality of my sinfulness and confess it. Confession brings grace into my soul like a breath of fresh air.