When Confession Breaks the Illusion: Walking in the Light of Real Recovery

May 25, 2026May 25, 2026 Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

William James once wrote: “For him who confesses, shams are over and realities have begun; he has exteriorized his rottenness.”

Confession ends the exhausting work of pretending. It pulls what is hidden into the light—not to shame us, but to free us. In recovery, confession is not a one‑time event; it is a rhythm, a posture, a way of walking honestly before God and others. It invites us to step into authenticity, shedding the masks we often wear and revealing the true selves beneath.

When we consider the act of confession, it is crucial to understand that it goes far beyond simply admitting wrongdoings. It encompasses acknowledging our vulnerabilities, our fears, and our shortcomings. It is about facing the parts of ourselves that we might prefer to keep hidden or buried deep within. Confession invites us into a space of liberation, where we can experience the healing power of honesty, not just with ourselves, but with those around us.

Anchor verse – 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This divine reassurance underscores the importance of confession in our lives. This is never a one-and-done moment. Confessing our sins is an active part of our path and spiritual growth. There is a continuous invitation to engage in this practice, to reflect regularly on our actions and attitudes, and to communicate them with sincerity. The act of confession can take various forms: it might be through prayer, journaling, or discussions with trusted friends and mentors.

There is also a communal aspect to confession; it’s about allowing others to bear witness to our journey of growth. This sharing fosters deeper connections, trust, and support within our communities. Confession can also serve as a catalyst for accountability, encouraging us to maintain our commitments to growth and change.

And there is more to confessing than we may fully understand. What are some of the ways we may confess? And what does it refer to when it says to confess our sins? What exactly are we confessing? Most of us may answer that we are to confess any wrongdoing on our part. And that is definitely an aspect of confessing.

But it may also refer to confessing our failures, our doubts, and our feelings of inadequacy. It may involve voicing the pain we carry and the burdens we bear, creating an opportunity for healing. Confession is a profound act of vulnerability that invites grace and understanding into our lives, not only from God but also from those around us who may offer support and encouragement. Through confession, we can truly experience the freedom that comes with honesty, forgiveness, and a renewed sense of purpose on our spiritual journey.

Today – we are going to take a look at how confession is the very courage to stop pretending. To step out of the idea that we need to fake it till we make it. And to see how this all ties into a twelve-step recovery program for Christians walking a path of recovery, desiring to thrive in their sobriety.

General Conference Reflection: Come Home – The Savior’s Call to the Weary

April 28, 2026April 29, 2026 Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

There have been those moments in my own life when silence felt louder than any noise – when distance from God doesn’t come through rebellion, it comes through weariness, disappointments, or quiet drifting. In those moments – I never thought of them as sacred hidden places. However, Elder Clark G. Gilbert’s message, Come Home, reminded me of how Christ rescued me. Elder Gilbert’s testimony is both disarming and deeply personal: Jesus Christ is not waiting to condemn you – He is actively calling you back. This is not an invitation for us to return to any religious belief – it is a return to a covenantal relationship where Christ desires to bring us face-to-face with our Heavenly Father. Through this process, we find healing, restoration, peace, and the joy that surpasses all understanding. It is an invitation for those wandering and lost today.

And here is the profound truth Elder Gilbert centers his message: Christ is not only our Redeemer – but He is also our Repairer. This distinction is of immense importance. Many of us hold to the idea that Jesus forgives us – however, how many of us truly believe and experience the reality of His power to restore us? Through personal stories, doctrinal clarity, and prophetic and apostolic witness, this message unfolds the spiritual reality and truth – no fracture; spiritual, emotional, or relational, is beyond the Savior’s power to amend through the gift and tender mercies of the infinite atonement.

Elder Gilbert’s message acknowledges the real barriers that prevent people from returning. It is these barriers I have found myself referring back to regarding my own devotional teachings and messages. The very same barriers I’ve struggled with over the years in returning back to the faith of the Restored Gospel. Feelings of not belonging, feelings of inadequacy, doubt, or even feeling trapped within cultural or religious expectations often obscure an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Elder Gilbert does not dismiss these struggles; instead, he speaks directly into them with compassion and clarity. His approach is refreshing as it resonates with the hearts of many who grapple with these complex emotions.

For me, the ultimate truth of this message is not about people leaving the faith – it is about the reason they are able to return. And for me, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a place for perfect people – it is a home for those returning. This home isn’t just a metaphorical return; it’s a genuine invitation to embrace love, understanding, and acceptance in the arms of a Savior who knows our struggles intimately.

Consider what the Savior taught regarding this profound and yet simplistic principle and truth:

“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:10-13, NRSVUE).

In this scene, Jesus is having a meal with Matthew, a former tax collector, and a mixed crowd of people whom the religious leaders dubbed as tax collectors and sinners. When the Pharisees, the self-appointed guardians of what’s pure and pious, ask why he would spend time with such unclean folks, Jesus turns the whole conversation on its head. He doesn’t see himself as a judge but as a healer. He highlights that his mission isn’t about reaffirming those who think they’re just fine—essentially the self-righteous—but about reaching out to those who are honest enough to see their own brokenness. By quoting the prophet Hosea—“I desire mercy, not sacrifice”—he underscores that compassion trumps strict religious rules or pushing people away.

In addition to this powerful depiction, it’s crucial to reflect on the implications of this teaching in our daily lives. The moments we find ourselves in judgment rather than in service can detract from our mission as followers of Christ. When we look at the world with eyes that see brokenness, we are called to serve rather than criticize. Our posture should always be one of humility, recognizing our own need for mercy.

For me, Christ is not waiting to condemn; even the Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NRSVUE). In my own life, those I have ministered to and sat in counsel with over the years have experienced this invitation to come back to Him. And the sad reality is: how often do we stand in the shoes of the Pharisees? How often are we prone to judge and criticize those who have left the LDS Faith, or even those who have left the Christian faith in general? While the Pharisees saw the dinner table as a place of judgment and an opportunity to avoid those who are deemed unworthy – sinners – Christ saw it as a place of ministry, healing, and deep connection.

One of the oft-repeated excuses that frustrates me is this: The Gospel is Perfect; the Church is True – the people are not. This bumper sticker cliché seems to slap a band-aid on people who have truly been disappointed, hurt, or pushed to the side as if they don’t matter or belong. This perspective can inadvertently perpetuate a culture of exclusion rather than inclusion, failing to recognize that the essence of the Gospel is about love and reconciliation.

In reality, Jesus’ message invites every individual, regardless of their past or present struggles, to experience the fullness of His grace and mercy—a message that should resonate deeply within the walls of every church and community devoted to His service.

Pressing Forward with Steadfast Faith

April 20, 2026 Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

There comes a moment in every believer’s life—and in every person walking out recovery—when God says something that feels almost unreasonable: “Go forward.” This divine command often arrives not when the sea has parted, not when the fear has settled, and certainly not when you feel your strongest. Instead, it comes at a time when we might feel the most vulnerable, beckoning us to take that leap of faith—forward… right now. This call exposes our innermost beliefs. It reveals whether we trust the God who speaks or if we allow the circumstances around us to intimidate and paralyze us.

Charles Spurgeon once articulated that vigorous faith often laughs at impossibility—and this idea is rooted in the assurance that the matter has been settled in prayer. When we commit our burdens to God, there’s a shift. Our faith rises; it stands up, wipes its eyes, and begins to walk toward what has previously seemed terrifying. Scripture reinforces this call to action with compelling encouragement: press toward the mark (Philippians 3:14), run with patience (Hebrews 12:1), be not weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9), resist steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:9), continue instant in prayer (Romans 12:12), and press forward with a steadfastness in Christ (2 Nephi 31:20). The pattern here is unmistakable—moving forward is the posture of those who genuinely trust God.

“Brethren, a vigorous faith will often shut its eyes to difficulties. When faith looks upon a difficulty as being exceedingly great, then she turns to prayer; but, on the other hand, after having sought God’s help, and having received it, she frequently laughs at the impossibility, and cries, “It shall be done;” and then, instead of betaking herself any longer to her knees, she boldly marches on, believing that the difficulty will vanish before her, that the crooked will be made straight, and the rough places plain. We are not to be always praying over a difficulty; when we have fairly committed it to God, we are to act upon the assurance that he has heard us; nor will such an action be the fruit of rashness, for it is a solid and substantial fact, that prayer does avail with God. Beloved, it strikes me that the advice which the Lord gave to Moses, was such as he has given to the preacher to-night; and that the message which Moses delivered to the children of Israel, is a very fit one for me to deliver to you. Short, prompt, soldier-like, here is the whole of it: “Forward! forward!” If you have been sitting down or tempted to go back— “Forward!” We have long been praying, let us to-night “Go forward.” The one subject we shall take up and try to deliver to different classes of character, is, “Thus saith the Lord, ye children of Israel, Forward!” (Charles H. Spurgeon, October 18, 1863; “Forward! Forward! Forward!” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 10)

Reflecting on the Israelites at the Red Sea, it’s clear that their moment of decision wasn’t about their strength—their circumstances appeared utterly impossible. It was about recognizing God’s unwavering faithfulness. The command to move forward was not only a call to action but an affirmation that God was already working in their favor. When God says “Forward,” He is not pushing you into peril; rather, He is leading you into deliverance and growth. This same God who parted the waters for Moses, who fortified Paul during his trials, who steadied Peter in the storms, and who sustained the early saints through persecution is the same God who walks with you right now. You can trust Him. You can move beyond your fears and doubts. You can take that step forward, knowing that He is leading you into a brighter and more fulfilling future. Your journey may be filled with uncertainty, but remember, every step taken in faith is a step walked in the light of His promises. You can go forward.

Day 1: The Mercy of Nothingness

January 1, 2026January 18, 2026 Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

And it came to pass…that Moses fell unto the earth. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. And he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing which thing I never had supposed.
~ Moses 1:9-10 ~

What if your rock bottom was Holy and Sacred Grounds? We are taught to fear the moment we lose control – when our strength fails and we are left with nothing. However, when we look to Moses, he is not defeated; he is positioned for power. In Moses 1, a prophet comes face-to-face with God and realizes a terrifying truth: Man is nothing. For those of us in recovery, this is not an insult. It is the first breath of freedom.

Today marks the beginning of our devotional series: Daily Exodus – Discipline of Deliverance as we study through the Old Testament for Come Follow Me. This new devotional series is for Latter-day Saint Christians, and Evangelical Christians seeking the discipline of deliverance from addiction, codependent relationships, and overcoming faith crisis, fear, doubt, and even anxiety or depression. Grounded in scriptural truth, grace of God, and revealing Jesus Christ along the sacred journey and path.

For much of our lives, we pour time and energy into proving we’re enough. We construct walls of reputation, career success, and even religious performance to keep out the unsettling fear that we might fall short. For those wrestling with addiction, codependency, perfectionism, or a crisis of faith, this often comes with waves of doubt, fear, anxiety, and even depression. Our very enslavement to these compulsive natures oftentimes collapses when these levies eventually break. We are left staring at the wreckage of our own will, forced to admit a devastating truth: without God, we are utterly and spiritually bankrupt.