There is a reason why God asks us to be still and silent before Him (Psalm 46:10), as He knows Satan can’t mettle in that time as the Holy Spirit speaks to the quiet nature of our hearts.
Alright, my dear sister, we need to address something right now. It’s those thoughts that are swirling around in your mind. You know the ones on repeat, replayed over and over, like a broken record, boldly proclaiming sly little lies that bring a tinge of bitterness to your heart, all while fiercely targeting your precious identity. They go a little something like this…
“You messed up again; you should just give up.”
“Your past placed you on this path you walk today.”
“If you just weren’t so emotional…”
“Motherhood shouldn’t be this hard. You’ve failed.”
“God doesn’t really care about your little problems.”
All hours of the day and well into the night, they fight for your attention. I would even venture to say you have grown accustomed to their chorus-like chants, dare I say finding them somewhat comforting. Maybe you are too emotional. Maybe this path really is all there is for you. At least this gives you an excuse for why you feel so alone, defeated, abandoned, and truly emotionally bankrupt. How do I know this? Because I fight the same battle, and the war inside my mind is seriously ferocious, just like yours!
Honestly, it all starts so simple, doesn’t it? One misleading thought can creep in, and maybe you dismiss it, but then it has a way of weaseling back into your already weary mind. Before you know it, these thoughts have made a beeline straight to your heart, causing quite a mess.
So, what do you do? How do you know if the thoughts flooding into your mind are a nudge from God to take action and come clean before Him, seeking His love, mercy, and grace, or a sneaky tactic from the enemy?
Well, let’s find out! Get ready my friend to equip yourself with the wisdom and knowledge to help you combat the lies you’ve been believing about sin, your relationships, circumstances, and even God. As beloved daughters, we have this beautiful advantage of being able to embrace the truth found in the Scriptures, reminding us that where the enemy condemns with vengeance, our gracious God convicts with love and brings us to a place of peace and even joy!
Conviction Comes from the Holy Spirit
We all have those moments or days where we lose our temper, say something we wish we could take back, hold a bit of a grudge, or fill in the blank with any number of sinful choices. Unfortunately, part of our make-up is bound by sin (Romans 5:12), but that shouldn’t give us an excuse to stay stuck there!
Solomon states in Proverbs 24:16, when the righteous fall, they have been given the full confidence to get back up, recover, and start again. As a follower of Christ, that assurance comes from the gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). He lives inside us and is our guide in this life. When we fall into the ways of this world, the Holy Spirit convicts us with truth, and it always lines up with Scripture. If we listen closely, we may hear corrections from God, and it may sound something like:
I know you’re tired and spoke out of frustration. Come to Me and let me provide you rest (Matthew 11:28).
You are upset and confused about this situation. Seek Me and you will find answers (Jeremiah 29:13).
This wasn’t what you were expecting, was it? Trust My plan and the path set before you (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Yes, you messed up and made mistakes, but you are not defined by your past, I am doing a great work in you (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Tell me about your day, all your worries, all your anxieties, I want to hear because I deeply care for you (1 Peter 5:7).
You are fearfully and wonderfully made, please know that when you look in the mirror (Psalm 139:14).
Correction from God Leads to Repentance
So, how do we receive those convictions from the Holy Spirit and simple corrections from God while resisting the lies that wage war in our minds? We must be prepared to create space and time to get quiet, be still, and saturate ourselves in The Word.
We can take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and align them to Scripture to know if what we are entertaining is from God or the enemy. God speaks to us through His Word and offers us a place to grow in our faith. We can also hear His voice (and loving correction) through our prayers or quiet time with Him. As we come before Him with soft hearts, it gives way for us to see any wrongdoing and humbly ask for forgiveness (Psalm 139:23-24). And just as any loving father would disciple their child to help them learn a valuable lesson, our God does the same for us. The more we come to know God through His Word and meet Him through real, honest prayer, we begin to differentiate the glaringly bold condemning lies from the gentle and righteous conviction of the Father. Talk about a sweet and precious two-way conversation!
Condemnation Causes a Cycle of Sin
God uses conviction to bring us to a place of justification, fine-tuning us, sanctifying us, and making us more like Jesus. But Satan uses our faults and failures as a tool to bring us down and keep us there, wrapping us in this guilt and shame, somewhat like a heavy smothering blanket. If we aren’t careful, that heavy blanket becomes a coping mechanism, and generally smothers us in two ways:
1. Condemnation says we are all innately wired to sin anyway, so we have an excuse for our behavior. It basically sugarcoats our choices, twists the truth, and misleads us. Conviction, on the other hand, tells us that while we are innately sinful due to the fall (Genesis 3:1-13), we do not have to be enslaved to that former identity. Rather, we are made into a new creation, giving us a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17), saved by the precious blood of Christ (John 3:17).
2. Condemnation keeps us stuck in a cycle of sin, eerily proclaiming that we will never be able to break free. Yet, God tells us through His righteous conviction that we all have sinned and fallen short (Romans 5:8), but through Jesus Christ, we have freedom to live abundantly due to His perfect sacrifice (Romans 8:2).
The truth of the matter is that Satan will always use our pain, past, and even our purpose against us. He wants us to feel alone and abandoned, where we grasp at anything (especially things that will draw us away from God) to feel better. We must also recognize that the enemy watches us closely and is in tune to what we do, how we respond to certain situations, and what we say out loud. Basically, what we proclaim over ourselves is powerful, and it matters! There is a reason why God asks us to be still and silent before Him (Psalm 46:10), as He knows Satan can’t mettle in that time as the Holy Spirit speaks to the quiet nature of our hearts.
Hope Is Found in Conviction
Let’s stop giving the enemy a foothold over our minds and proclaim truth over our lives. Start declaring Scripture over your life right now, sister! Where condemnation causes us to harbor guilt and shame and keeps us trapped in a cycle of sin, we need to call it out for what it is and stop tuning in!
Hope is found in knowing that conviction is a process that makes us aware of our sins and gives us a chance to run to the Father, allowing His holy and righteous discipline to lead us back on the right track. Let’s tune into God’s voice today and allow Him to cover us with sweet truth and His amazing grace!
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