Conviction
This is a subject that is not a popular topic but is common among Christians. In this writing I will attempt to discuss what conviction is, why it happens, its importance, and various reactions to it.
First, conviction is Guilt over something the individual has either done or thought on a given topic, and it can be so varied I won’t even attempt to list any here. Conviction is that feeling you get when you know you are wrong in thought and/or deed.
To feel convicted, you must have a conscience and, as a Christian, you must have the Holy Spirit to know conviction of what is wrong in the eyes of God! Sadly, there are some that have no conscience.
Let me add “I don’t care” spoken from the mouth is far different than not caring in the heart, for those that have no concern in their heart are lost and serving darkness.
A lost person can have a strong conscience, but to lack a conscience is totally different from being lost. Without a conscience, a person is not only lost from the Lord—they have lost their humanity!
Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinketh in his heart so is he”
Conviction is God’s way of showing us where we need improvement, areas we need growth, and to get us to a place where our desire is to serve Him. One thing that is sure—if you never feel conviction, then you are not a person of God.
Conviction can manifest itself in different ways depending on a person’s current frame of mind, mood, or personality.
(WARNING! Eliminate MOOD from the situation as quickly as possible!) When spiritual issues are at hand, the best rule is to eliminate all emotions and examine the issue from an intellectual aspect according to the Word of God!
Some may feel sadness, and others burdened, some guilt or embarrassment—even shame. Some may begin to feel depressed, others may have a tendency to hide themselves in one form or another. Moreover, some become angry and lash out at the messenger.
The fact is there will be a reaction to the sense of conviction. In the words of our Lord Jesus, Luke 10:27 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. If this is true of you, then there will be a reaction to conviction!
Let us discuss a proper reaction to feeling convicted. First, we must, in our hearts, seek to please God in all that we do. The feeling of conviction should be contemplated and celebrated, and then acted upon. (What do I mean? you ask.)
I’m speaking to Christians here. If you feel convicted, first get quiet enough that you can hear the Holy Spirit while praying for clarity and guidance! Seek God’s face! If your purpose is to be pleasing to God, then you should celebrate and praise conviction!
This may sound somewhat foreign but give it some thought. Conviction should be celebrated because it is a signal of opportunity to grow in our walk with the Lord! It should be used as a time of learning and gain, not dreaded or feared, but relished and used to become more Christ-like!
I’m going to express my personal opinion here, (always dangerous to do!) but getting angry at anyone or anything other than yourself when convicted is a sign of immaturity in our relationship with God (our Christian walk). At least that is how I understand it myself!
As I have stated in other writings, to get angry at the messenger is somewhat ridiculous. I’ve seen folks be under conviction from a sermon or a teaching and approach the Preacher or Teacher in anger, complaining about the message/lesson when their issue is with God Himself, not the messenger!
Some even go so far as to speak out loud their disagreement with the Scripture. Still others will, out of cowardice, go and complain loudly to a third party of their disagreement (of course hoping it will get back to the source) as if their disagreement is some sort of punishment to the one who conveyed the Scripture that convicted them.
Luke 10 covers the severity of doing such things. (Read it and see for yourself.) If we will just humble ourselves and run to God seeking His guidance, we will be far better off! Condemning the messenger will only bring more conviction and NO satisfaction; the original conviction will not go away by complaining.
I personally would much rather grow by obedience through a time of conviction than to heap God’s judgment on my head by being rebellious!
The fact is, you CANNOT run from the ever-presence of God! You can only deny Him.
I know portions of this writing were somewhat harsh, but there are times that explicit examples must be presented for the sake of importance.
In summary, Conviction requires seeking the wisdom of God’s Word, prayer, contemplation, repentance, and action to correct.
I pray that this, in some fashion, gives the reader a clearer perspective on conviction and how we as Christians should use it to grow in Christ Jesus and not fail when we are tested!
May the Lord bless you and keep you all the days of your life, Amen.
Kenneth Kellar
A Man Called by God to Teach and Disciple