Condemnation vs Conviction

Condemnation has been one of satan’s greatest tools in my life. It was so effective for so long because I had a hard time distinguishing condemnation from the true conviction of the Holy Spirit. There was a voice in my head that was always disappointed in how well I was following the Lord. I always could have obeyed faster or with less fear or with less doubt, etc. Two different experiences helped me to shed the light on what was really going on.

First, I have a friend who is an excellent listener. It is a spiritual gift of hers, no doubt. She doesn’t just listen to you while you are talking, she listens to what the Lord would like to say to you in return, then she’s brave enough to tell you.

One day I was sharing some feelings and thoughts I was struggling with and how I had heard this voice challenge me on how well I was doing. It wasn’t happy and I expressed how I had failed and should be doing better. All of my words were dripping in defeat and disappointment. She looked at me and said, “if that voice you hear is telling you “you should be better, a better Christian, a better mom, etc., it isn’t the Holy Spirit.”

I was also in the middle of reading a book called Rooms, by James L. Rubart at the time. It’s the story of a man named Micah, who finds himself on a journey of self discovery and surrender to Jesus. He is led through this journey, one aspect of his life at a time. At some point, he encounters a voice that tells him it is his own voice and it is there to help him. This voice helps him think, helps him reason through decisions. This voice claims it only wants what’s best for him and it even knows scripture. In the end however, it is clear that this voice only craves his destruction and knows exactly how to hide this lie. This voice is a master at twisting words and tearing Micah down while making it sound like it is encouraging him.

When I got to the point in the book where Micah finally realizes this voice has been lying to him and stands in direct contrast to what Jesus wants for his heart, it was suddenly clear to me as well, and my friend’s words came rushing back to my mind. There was a clear difference between the condemnation I had been feeling and the true conviction of the Holy Spirit.

John 3: 16&17 says, ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Now that Jesus has died for all sin, as Hebrews 10 says, there can also no longer be any condemnation. According Romans 8, they who are in Christ live in the law of the Spirit and can therefore no longer be under the law of sin and death, thus removing all condemnation. We are no longer guilty. The voice of Jesus doesn’t follow us around criticizing everything we do or highlighting all the ways in which we don’t measure up. He already knows we can’t get to Him on our own, He doesn’t expect us to, that’s why He came down to earth to meet us where we are. There’s nothing that can stop His love from reaching us. He doesn’t need us to change before He can love us more. He loves us and accepts us just as we are.

He can see the places we have been hurt and wants to heal those. He can see how those wounds get us stuck in destructive behaviors that continue to hurt ourselves or others. He wants freedom and abundant life for us and so He leads us on a journey of healing. This journey brings change in our hearts, our attitudes, our behaviors, our habits, etc. This is the process of sanctification and it comes about through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 says that the Spirit of truth will guide you and in Isaiah 30, the bible talks about hearing a word saying, “this is the way, walk in it.” The conviction of the Holy Spirit leads or guides us on a journey. He is gentle and patient. When we stumble, He doesn’t become angry and disappointed. Instead, He works to clean our wounds, pick us up, dust us off and help us take the next step.

These steps lead to change, but not change that earns us more favor. These steps lead to change that gives us more joy.

Release yourself from the heaviness of condemnation. Walk in the footsteps of Jesus that ask you to lay your burdens down and simply fall more in love with Him. He will be faithful to finish the work that He has started in your life on the day of your salvation. May you find His promised peace.

Your Fellow Traveler

Lacey