When you feel convicted of sin, that's the Holy Spirit confronting you to become more like Jesus. Don't respond with dismay or resistance. Instead repent, accept forgiveness, and move forward. Resisting only delays the transformation God intends.
You know that feeling you get when you do something wrong? I don't mean just guilt. I mean that yearning to be free, to be more like Jesus, that godly frustration that says, this isn't who I am. That's the conviction of the Holy Spirit. He's confronting you. Here is how you don't respond. Number 1, don't dismay. Of course, we should feel bad when we sin, but don't get stuck there. Repentance is powerful. Turn from the sin, receive God's forgiveness, then move on in the hope found in Christ. Number 2, don't resist. Don't try to negotiate with the Holy Spirit or justify your actions. Just embrace his loving correction. When you fight the Holy Spirit, you're only delaying the inevitable. He's more patient than we are stubborn. When you're confronted by the Holy Spirit, don't dismay, don't resist, just submit. To learn more about the Holy Spirit, get Holy Spirit: God Within You at encounterthespirit.com.
