Caffeinated Conversations {11.26.10}
Did you all enjoy your Thanksgiving??
I'm still in the midst of mine - spending a long weekend with family and friends.
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Today's Caffeinated Conversation is about convictions.
This topic has come out of my time at the Relevant Conference as well as my conversations recently with a number of the attendees of this year's conference, but it's extremely applicable to all of us trying to live the Christian life.
(Video embedded in post - click here if you don't see it.)
I'd love to hear your thoughts about this topic:
- Have you ever found yourself under conviction that wasn't from God?
- How are intentional about avoiding the tendency to put your convictions on others?
- What verses do you claim to remind yourself that you are free?
Labels: ashleypichea, Caffeinated Conversations, CGC, Relevant 10
posted by Ashley Pichea @ 12:05 AM
4 Comments:
Interesting! I didn't feel any (false/artificial) guilt, nor did i feel any put on me. But then, i have found age to be a friend in that department. I don't accept guilt like i once did! If God wants me to have it, He makes it abundantly clear! There were issues raised that i am still mulling over as to how they apply in my situation. i'm just trying to figure out exactly what that is.
Something helpful that was shared w me long ago re true "guilt" from God and false guilt from satan or other people (passed on either purposely or inadvertantly). God is clear in His conviction of sin. Satan (one of whose names is the Accuser) loves to keep us languishing in vague guilt over anything and everything so we are paralyzed and inactive...not growing in our faith or reaching out in mission to others around us.
knowing what our spiritual gifts are is certainly helpful. not so we can use it to keep from doing a lot of things that need to be done, but so that we can use our time wisely. When we have spouses, children, homes and responsibilities to manage there is a limited amount of time. wasting it in areas that are not productive (unless God has obviously led very clearly otherwise) is just plain unwise. why would He make us a hand and expect us to function as an eye? (to use His analogy in the passages on spiritual gifts--that one is I Cor. 12 where our gifts are related to parts of the body.) it is helpful so we can see that it isn't just about us. we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Christ is the Head. the body is the Church (universal).
of course, our local churches include members of the church universal as well as fakers and people who aren't genuine believers. that's why, when we look at a local church, it doesn't always look the way we think it should. however, it is still dear to God's heart...described as His Bride. but i'm getting into another illustration that is getting away from the topic.
One thing i have to ask myself when i want to tell someone what they should do is, "am i trying to be their Holy Spirit?" if i have to answer "yes" in my truly honest moments, i need to avoid that advice. we can share clearly what scripture has to say about the fact that a woman is to be modest (for example). the outworking of that looks very different from woman to woman based on a lot of factors. there can be 5 women who all want to be modest. one way "we" tend to try to legislate modesty is to draw lines (hems x inches below the knee, necklines such and such inches low, etc.) those don't work b/c modesty isn't legislated well! those of us who keep the "rules" b/c proud, arrogant and self-righteous re our modest ways, how much better we are than the woman who doesn't wear he clothes like we do, etc. we don't have a spirit that is meek and quiet and submissive to Christ, much less modest...but we are rather arrogant! other factors are part of the country, weather, size of person, etc. sorry, this has gotten too long.
all i'm trying to say is that we can be strong about Biblical teaching and go back to what scripture teaches. it is true and infallible. when we get down to our applications of scripture, we have to be more cautious. those we can offer more tentatively and with much more grace.
If God is willing to trust us with the gospel to share with others, surely we can trust Him to make it clear to those we are advising what the actual applications are with in the framework of their authority structure set up in scripture--husband, church, Christ. (obviously not everything comes under all those places but we have them for our help if needed.)
Guilt has lately been a good barometer for me for postpartum issues. When I was in the thick of ppd/ppa after my first, I felt guilt about EVERYTHING. Now, I am 6 months out after my second. Each time I feel the wave of guilt, I am reminded to stop in my tracks and run to God. Something isn't right and HE is the great Healer. Like Martha (in comment) said, God will make it abundantly clear if He is convicting me.
Thank you for sharing this! I agree, "God is clear in His conviction of sin." The title of Satan as "the Accuser" is one I struggle with in my own walk - too often, I let him point the finger where it doesn't need to be pointed. Thanks for the encouragement!
"I am reminded to stop in my tracks and run to God" - oh to remember this EVERY time I am faced with guilt! I need to find that barometer in my own life - the one that forces me to reconcile any guilt I might feel with God's will for my life! Thanks for sharing!
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