Have you ever blown it — I mean really blown it to the point of feeling dirty, sick, isolated, or afraid as a result of what you've done?

How do you handle the weight of being “exposed?”

I've heard someone say once that there are two kinds of people — humble and those who will be humbled. In Psalm 51, we find an example of how King David has been humbled, exposed and set free as a result of his sin and confession. Psalm 51 provides an incredible model of how to experience real liberation for the weight and shackles of sin and regret.

King David is most famous for killing the giant “Goliath” with a sling and a stone. But he also wrote many of the Psalms.

In Psalm 51, David is confronted by the prophet Nathan after he committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba and then tried to cover up the affair by having her husband killed. David's response after being confronted was not to deny or cover it up, but rather to repent to God in order to find freedom and joy once again.

This is a model that can be used for every person reading this article today who feels the weight and regret of their own sin.

David first pleads the mercy of God and sees His sin for what it is — an affront against a holy God. David recognized that his biggest problem was not relational, social, emotional or even physical.

Rather, his (and our) biggest problem in this life was that his own sin had separated him from God. In verse 4 he admits that he has sinned against God and done what was evil in his sight.

And rather than pleading David's own goodness and morality, he goes straight to the heart of God — pleading God's compassion and unfailing love (verse 1)!

You see, until we realize the depth and ugliness of our own sin, we won't understand our incredible need, rescue, and mercy that is offered to us in the person of Jesus Christ through his death on the cross. David pleads that God would wash and cleanse him so that he will be “whiter than snow” (verses 2, 7).

Only when we realize that God doesn't “grade on bell curve,” but rather on the scale of perfection, do we realize our deep need for Him. God's requirement for being in His presence is not simply “better than most,” but being completely perfect because that is what He is.

And perfection is something we can never achieve. But thanks be to God because He did for us what we could never do on our own when He sent Jesus to be the perfect substitute — living the righteous life we were required to live and dying a death on the cross that we deserved to die. It's that good news that allows us to pray for the restoration of joy and gladness that salvation can bring (verse 12).

Some of us feel like “confession” and the need for forgiveness is for weak people.

Yet others of us feel trapped beneath the weight of our own guilt.

This very day, Jesus wants to take that from you. You are NEVER too far from God to be forgiven and used by Him.

In fact, God specializes in using broken people, because it's in our brokenness that God can be shown as strong!

One of the greatest things we can offer back to God is not our own moral achievement but a broken spirit and a contrite heart, for this God will not despise (verse 17).

If you'd like to get right with God for the very first time or for the thousandth time, use Psalm 51 as your model. Pray: “Have mercy on me because of your unfailing love. Wash and cleanse me through Jesus and restore to me the joy of my salvation.”

And walk away knowing this: Your chains and brokenness don't have to define you anymore. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

Pastor Brady Randall is the campus pastor of Orchard Hill Church-Butler County.