Grace & Conviction

Okay God, so here's the point about me today that I need to dwell on, and maybe even confess. It's the need I have for discernment between grace and conviction.

There are several points, really. They seem to be the juxtaposition of what I need to worry about, contrasted with what You, Lord need to worry about. Here they are.

To divert attention from itself, even sub-consciously, evil will point to the shortcomings of others.

The one who demands such a high standard of integrity from others, has no integrity of his own.

By refusing to yield myself to the Lord, I make myself available to satan.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (1 John 1:5-9)

Walk as children of light, constantly striving to discern what is acceptable to the Lord. (He has given us that understanding.)

Whenever I resist the will of God and His voice of conscience, I allow evil to re-enter my life and take control.

To walk in light requires making sure God is my spiritual leader each day. Whenever He isn't - I'm walking in darkness.

Evil's great hiding place is in the church and its people.

So here's the thing, Lord. It seems that I can be a Christ-follower, committed to and loving You with all my heart ... and yet find myself at times walking in darkness. Perhaps I don't yield to You. Sometimes I don't seek You. I may not listen to You - or hear what You want me to hear.

And I find myself walking in darkness without realizing it. How is it that someone can move from light to darkness without being aware that they just made that change? Am I really that ignorant of my own spiritual environment?

Lord, make me aware. Prepare my conscience to walk in light, and to be alarmed by the darkness that I'm sometimes straying into. Give me grace for the things I cannot be expected to change or overcome. But give me relentless conviction where I can and should take a stand.