For When God Loves He Convicts

 Proverbs 3:11-12

"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son He delights in"

The relationship between a parent and child is quite dynamic. 

The child has to literally depend on the parent for everything and direction in life is one of them. 

The parent tells the child what to eat, where to go, what not to touch, etc. 

This doesn't exert some kind of power trip at all, but more so out of love, care, and concern. When a child picks up something that can harm them or put themselves somewhere that can endanger them, a parent is quick to correct them to ensure they don't bring harm to themselves. 

Our Father, who art in heaven is the prime example of this. 

He watches over us and is quick to come to our rescue or correct us before we can do something that will harm us. 

When we accepted Christ into our lives and became born again, we become babes in Christ. When we read the Word and seek Him, that is us being guided by Him. Being shown the way. 

Proverbs 22:6 

"Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it" 

Now in our teenage or adults years in Christ, when we do things that our spirit will quicken us not to do, the remorse or guilt that consumes us after is called conviction. 

The need to apologize or repent after disobeying the laws, the Word that we have been guided by as babes in Christ is conviction. 

When you have conviction, you have God. 

Conviction means He has given you another chance to get it right. 

It means awareness. 

It means grace. 

Conviction means you still have time to correct, apologize, and repent. 

Convictions don't feel good in no way. Correction doesn't feel comfortable either.

It may make you feel down, discouraged or disappointed in yourself, but I'm here to tell you that it is not the reason for it. 

It is not designed for you to wallow in. It is designed for you to grow in. 

The verse says, "He loves whom He corrects"

He Loves!

When you stumble or fall, He loves you enough to tell you how to get back up. 

He still loves you in the midst of His harsh correction. 

He knows that when He corrects us and convictions grip us it can also bring about growth in our spirit and connection to Him. 

It will show us what is the right way and what isn't. It shows us the step to take next!

The only thing that we must be worried about when it comes to conviction is when we no longer receive it. 

When we can fall and stumble or dabble in sin and feel the need to NOT repent. 

That's the scary part of the conviction. 

That's the part where were should be worried. 

Because, if we add this math properly and say that God loves whom he corrects and He stops correcting us, then that means He is no longer on our side, right?

If He's not there to love and correct us, then where is He on our journey?

Are we still growing? 

Are we even on the right path?

If God isn't chastising us when we stumble or conviction doesn't hit us we fall anymore, what have we done to cause Him to no longer care to direct us?

Have we kept turning a deaf ear, or perhaps a blind eye to His warnings?

Have we shunned His reprimands twice too many?

Have we blocked His voice just so we won't feel like He's ruling our lives too much now?

God will only be present for so long before He leaves you completely to your own devices. Remember He's a gentleman and won't force you. 

Like parents who have tried their best, but their child still remains rebellious, won't they finally throw in the towel to just watch from the distance? 

Or, perhaps give them up to the system?

Please, I beg of you, don't slip into a reprobate mindset! 

This is the conclusion for those who have ignored and refuse to take heed to correction and conviction. 

These persons have sinned and don't even ask God for forgiveness anymore. Instead, they become stiff-necked in their ways and even believe that the 'little' sin that they commit, God must accept because that's them. Or, that it isn't that serious anymore. Or, some form of grace period they allow to themselves. 

They're irreparable. 

They think they are still close to God, but they are so far from Him, they don't even know it. 

Proverbs 5:23

"He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray" 

Don't avoid conviction. Don't run away from correction, rebuke, or instructions from God. 

Remember it helps with growth and when He does this He loves us. 

Like a parent who is only looking out for the safety and success of their child, He is only doing so to ensure that we have a prosperous end. 

~TheRay