Conviction Pivot
I’ve always thought of my convictions as my beliefs set in concrete. For me to change my convictions, a “jackhammer” is needed to “bust up the concrete”. My convictions are my foundational beliefs. There are not up for negotiation. I will discuss my convictions, but do not expect them to change.
In my view, a conviction pivot is when something comes along to challenge my conviction and I somehow make the adjustment. I just described my convictions nearly impossible to change. I grew up with certain convictions because I had been taught them by my parents, grandparents, preacher or Sunday School teacher. I was taught things as “this is what the Lord said”. When I got older, I looked for some of that teaching in scripture and it wasn’t there. Some teaching that I have heard from the pulpit and otherwise is from “the second book of Opinions”. I have pivoted my convictions on a few things that were simply based on another person’s teaching.
I love this passage when Josiah, who became king at 8 years of age, started making reforms at age 16. It was somewhere between 16-20 years of age that he started discovering truth and seeing his convictions put to the test. Check this out….
16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.” (2 Chronicles 34:16-21 NLT)
I discovered grace later in life, because I think I wasn’t taught it because it might give me a “license to sin”. Grace opened up my eyes to the beauty and depth of God’s love for me. I wanted to follow God out of love for Him instead of fear of Him. My convictions of grace are strong and unmovable. Some of my other convictions were about behavioral things that I was taught that simply weren’t in scripture. My convictions that were formed out of my journey in the truth of God’s Word are not up for negotiation or pivot. If I discover something new that He said in His Word that I had not seen before, then I am trusting in Him enough that I would bring out the jackhammer. I do stand strong in my convictions of the Father’s Love for me and His will for me.
Pressing On!
Dwayne