No Convictions
Why does it seem the people that are the best at anything are those with a ton of conviction about their values? That’s a huge problem with humanity today – no conviction. Am I being judgmental? Oh, to a group as a whole – maybe. If the shoe fits, as Mom would say, wear it.
Living on the Amazon set me close to the jungle. Close to the tiny school I went to as a kid was a huge kapok tree. We could see it stand majestically over the rest of the jungle canopy each morning from our first period class, and from any room with windows facing north. Amazingly, the seeds are tiny; yet it is one of the biggest trees in the jungle.
Well, we knew it didn’t get there over night. It was there long before the school was. In the same way, people with strong convictions needed time and feeding to get to where they are.
What is beautiful about all this is that while the tree can’t do much other than use what it has been given (sorta a “bloom where your planted” thing), but God has given us the ability to change right now.
To do this, take a look at the following issues and make your mind up where you stand on them. Another quote Mom always said was, “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” Okay, so here we go. What you do is either write these down and think about your “convictions” on them and get clear on them. It is a liberating and uplifting process!
1. Do you consider the Bible true and trustworthy?
2. Do you think that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved?
3. What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of believers and unbelievers?
4. Are we to forgive others in every situation?
5. How should Christians approach finances?
6. What is your purpose in life?
7. What is your role in the church and at work?
8. How should you think and act regarding social issues like capital punishment, abortion, and racism?
For me, studying the Bible and doing all I can to make that the cornerstone of my thinking guides me to formulate my convictions on these questions. And it’s important to evaluate what the Bible is saying on an issue rather than to look at the scripture through my “personal lens” of my “preferences.”
What does God say? rather than What does this mean to me?
I made a decision that after reading and studying what God says: Believe Him and commit to living according to my conviction, or continue to be tossed by the waves of doubt and indecision (James 1:6).
Hey, and like that grand kapok tree on the banks of the mighty Amazon, root yourself firmly in God’s Word and be called one of His oaks of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3). It’s up to you.
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