Confession and Grace

We don't like accepting our weaknesses and sins (those we can admit, theoretically, that we might have). And we hope nobody else can see any, so we show up in public with our Public Face on. But God already knows what's wrong with each human, and he gives each one total forgiveness in Christ. And James 5:16 tells the church community, as we work together, "Confess
your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." Instead of hiding, we can, in fact, encourage one another to surrender our mistaken self-image and accept God's forgiveness. In John 4, Jesus confronted a woman with her sins and even though she tried to weasel out of it, he finally got her to admit she needed what he offered (condensed for space): 

Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”  The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!”
He said, “Go call your husband and then come back.” “I have no husband,” she said. {Jesus said} “That’s nicely put: ‘I have no husband.’ You’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re living with now isn’t even your husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough.”
“Oh, so you’re a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?”
{Jesus responded}“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”
The woman said, “I don’t know about that. I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we’ll get the whole story.”  “I am he,” said Jesus. “You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.” Back in the village she told the people, “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?”

Any time God confronts us with our "stuff", it's not the time to run and hide in shame, or bargain with Jesus like the woman did. Instead, let me suggest finding a trusted brother or sister in the faith and asking for prayer and encouragement, even for help in knowing how to pray about it, as James told us. This can help our worship to flow from the heart, freely, as God intends.