Read the Word:
Acts 2:37-42
Meditate on the Word:
Doctors often say that pain is your body’s way of alerting you that something is wrong. People will ignore many symptoms, but once pain is intense, it can be impossible to ignore. This pain is often what finally causes many people to seek medical attention. Without it, we may ignore other symptoms of illness for years.
The word “convicted” in verse 37 could more literally be translated “they were pierced to the heart.” This is what conviction does. It is not a pleasant feeling; it is the sense of deep guilt and shame that is meant to deeply affect us when we have rebelled against God. In the same way that our physical pain is meant to cause us to seek help, the pain of conviction is meant to cause us to seek God and repent of our sins. Only forgiveness can remove the deep sense of wrong that conviction alerts us to.
It is popular today to avoid making anyone feel guilty about anything. This is not healthy. Guilt is our reminder of who we are and who God is. Guilt that leads to repentance is a very good thing, as those attending Peter’s first sermon found out. They had rebelled against God, but now they got to experience healing from their sins. This same healing is available to us.
Pray the Word:
If you are experiencing conviction, repent of whatever the Lord is revealing to you.
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