A Call to Confession

Pastor Cobb • June 11, 2026

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I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve enjoyed the Toy Story movies. I’m not sure what they’re going to do with number five, but we’ll see. Do you remember Sid from the first movie—the creepy kid next door who liked torturing toys? He held a magnifying glass over Woody’s head and let the sunlight do its work. I did that to paper when I was a kid, but never to toys or ants. That’s just awful.

A magnifying glass can do one of two things. It can help you see something more clearly, or it can focus sunlight until it burns. A lot of Christians mix those two things up.

Some of us probably held a magnifying glass over an anthill when we were kids. The sunlight on its own wasn’t doing any harm, but once it passed through the lens, it became hot enough to scorch and destroy. In much the same way, some believers take every flaw, failure, sin, and regret and hold it under the magnifying glass of their own judgment. They tell themselves they’re just being honest, humble, and self-aware. But instead of seeing clearly, they end up staring at their shortcomings until shame starts doing real damage. Their hearts begin to ache from the inside out.

Christ never asked us to live under abusive scrutiny.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so that we can repent and be healed. The Accuser does the opposite. He twists, manipulates, and magnifies our sin so that we stay stuck in despair and keep carrying the wound. One leads to life. The other leads to self-loathing, sorrow, and damage.

Thank God, the gospel gives us a different lens. Christ does not deny our failures, but He does place them in the larger light of His grace. Instead of magnifying our sin, He magnifies His mercy. Instead of turning up the heat of condemnation, He gives us the warmth of forgiveness.

Paul writes, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Healthy self-examination asks, “Lord, where do I need Your grace?” Unhealthy self-scrutiny asks, “How much longer am I going to keep punishing myself?”

Maybe the better question isn’t, “What am I magnifying?” but “Who am I magnifying?” If we keep magnifying ourselves—our failures, weaknesses, disappointments, pride, ego, and self-righteousness—we’ll eventually burn a hole straight through our hearts. But when we magnify Christ, as Mary did when she said, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46), His love begins to look bigger than our guilt, and His grace becomes greater than our shame. “Whenever our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”

Our emotions are often the ones holding the magnifying glass. God invites us to look instead through the lens of His love.

Read – 1 John 3:20

Come and join us Sunday mornings at 10:00. And be filled with Grace <><

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About the Author

Patrick E. Cobb serves as Pastor of Grace Community Fellowship in Helena, Montana, a role he began in July 2025. A Texas native, he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio (1994) and a Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (2003).



His ministry has spanned seven states and included work as a hospital chaplain, an associate pastor, and youth and family ministry in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2007, Patrick and his wife Melani served as missionaries in Mexico, leading housing, health, and disaster relief efforts.


A U.S. Army chaplain since 2010, he deployed to Iraq in 2011 and 2012 and has been honored with a Bronze Star, two Meritorious Service Medals, and three Army Commendation Medals, among others; he continues to serve as a reservist.


Patrick and Melani have three children—Soren, Addison, and Carson—and he remains devoted to Reformed theology, faithful preaching, and discipleship.

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