Crisis is not a time to reason things through intellectually, cast blame, or look for “sin in the camp.”
Conviction
John of the Cross
Sometimes, when the soul least thinks of it, and when it least desires it, God touches it divinely causing certain recollections of Himself.
Priscilla Shirer
Condemnation always leads to guilt-laden discouragement, while conviction—though often painful in pointing out our wrongdoing—still somehow encourages and lifts us, giving us hope to rebuild on. The first makes you focus on yourself; the other points you to the grace and empowering mercy of Christ.
Author Unknown
By these things examine thyself: By whose rules am I acting? In whose name? In whose strength? For whose glory? What faith, humility, self-denial and love of God and to man have there been in my actions?
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What gives us conviction of sin is not the number of sins we have committed; it is the sight of the holiness of God.
Jerry Bridges
We must be careful to let the Holy Spirit do this searching. If we try to search our own hearts, we are apt to fall into one or both of two traps. The first is the trap of morbid introspection. Introspection can easily become the tool of Satan, who is called the “accuser” (Revelation 12:10). One of his chief weapons is discouragement. He knows that if he can make us discouraged and dispirited, we will not fight the battle for holiness. The second trap is that of missing the real issues in our lives.
Thomas Adams
Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health of his whole body; yet he knows that the ache of a finger is nothing so much as the health of the whole body.
Francis Frangipane
Whatever challenges Jesus’ right to our hearts becomes His enemy, which He will confront.
Francois Fenelon
The Great Physician, who sees in us what we cannot see, knows exactly where to place the knife. He cuts away that which we are most reluctant to give up. And how it hurts! But we must remember that the pain is only felt where there is life, and where there is life is just the place where death is needed. Our Father wastes no time by cutting into parts that are already dead. Do not misunderstand me; He wants you to live abundantly, but this can only be accomplished by allowing Him to cut into that flesh part of you that is still stubbornly clinging to life.
Paul Sailhamer
Joy is that deep settled confidence that God is in control of every area of my life.