Conviction flows from the heart of God who wants His children to do right. This built in heavenly reminder system is a blessing from God for those who respond to it. The conviction keeps us out of trouble and gives us the strength to separate from a bad situation along with the direction to know which way to go. It is only the rebellious who balk at the loving invitation that conviction is intended to be.
My daughter Charity is 17 months now, like most toddlers, she is infatuated with things that she could break or that have the potential to hurt her. A loving Father notices her proximity to that dangerous thing and walks through a progression of preventative measures. First, he starts by talking to her and explaining that it’s not for her. “Don’t touch that, I don’t want you to get hurt.” At times, that is enough and she will go on her merry way in obedience. If she persists in her curiosity, he will often wait for her to disobey in order to get her attention and remind her she was told not to touch that. Of course, these reminders will escalate to punishment only if she remains stubborn. It is not that she will never be able to use the oven or a knife, but in my loving kindness as her father, I know it is not time. The day will come when she will be allowed to cook, but she must grow up in maturity first so those good things can be used without harm.
We are often like Charity, pulled to a behavior, hobby, or tool that has potential to bring us harm. The harm God foresees may be physical, but likewise may be emotional, relational, or a waste of time. It is the wisdom of a parent to limit television for the good of His child’s development, and it is the wisdom of God to limit our distractions so that we might follow Him into His perfect plan for our lives. He sees the end of a thing before we even begin it so we must trust in his foreknowledge which is fueled by his love.
Yielding Prayer
Father, thank you for forseeing the evil around me (Prov 22:3) and giving me the opportunity to walk past it. I repent for the many times I have pursued my own devices in spite of your attempts to keep me from them. If I have quenched your Spirit and silenced your voice by my rebellious behavior, I humbly ask for your forgiveness and invite your voice again to instruct and guide me. I submit to you and commit to following your direction.