Be careful who you turn to (2)

When you are struggling with a stubborn habit or addiction, you will find strength in the right support group. And when you need help, don’t be ashamed to reach for it—but be careful to whom you confess your sins! The psalmist wrote, “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” One Bible teacher put it like this: “Never discuss what you want someone else to forget. Your words make thoughts permanent; they give life and longevity to everything discussed. Arguments would die and conflicts would cease, except your words sustained them. Words breathe life into everything. ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof’ (Proverbs 18:21). And words can wound. ‘The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly’ (Proverbs 18:8). You can’t stop others from talking about you, but don’t give them information you may want them to forget. And never give unnecessary information that requires, demands, or inspires the pursuit of more questions. Be cautious when confessing your mistakes. Your attempt to be open may be very sincere, but your mistake may loom larger in their memory than the lesson you’ve learned and are trying to share with them. Certainly, there are times when additional information and clarification are advisable, beneficial, and even necessary, but you must be wise. Focus on your future, not your past. And never say anything you don’t want to be repeated for the rest of your life.”