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Full Conviction?

September 15, 2011

1 Thessalonians 1: 4–5a

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

The Gospel came to them…not only in word – but in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with FULL conviction.

As a guy who spends a considerable amount of time each week thinking about, talking about, writing about, and trying to figure out how to help people understand the Gospel…

I wonder how it is that I can also be a man who can often lack conviction.

It’s not that I don’t agree with what the Gospel teaches…I would even go so far as to say that I BELIEVE most of it….

And yet – there are things that I don’t always feel convicted about when it comes to what the Gospel teaches me…

I don’t often find myself resting in a belief that says that God will be the provider of all my needs

Or that I can trust Him completely

Or that His plan for my life is the best possible plan

I don’t always feel convicted about being content in all circumstances…

Because what if God doesn’t help me?

What if He doesn’t work it out for my good?

What if He forgets? Or makes a mistake? Or our plans don’t line up?

Even as I type it…it sounds stupid.

And yet its where my heart often is….

So then of course the reality I face is that the phrase “full conviction” isn’t really an accurate descriptor of how my heart and the Gospel interact..

In fact often I don’t believe the Gospel nearly enough

And yet I believe I am chosen by God.

I believe that growth in my belief of the Gospel is the work of the Spirit inside me…

I believe that God is working in my heart…

I just want to be able to trust Him with everything…all the time.

Jesus – I really do love you. I suck at trusting you. I suck at being convicted about the truth of who You are…please continue to grow and shape me to be more like you. Help me to have the Gospel as my primary motivation.

B.

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