Conviction Versus Condemnation - Be Intentional: Choose Wisely

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13, NLT)

“You will never get this right.”

“You are a failure.”

“Why can’t you do this?”

I sat on the couch tormented and distraught. These statements were draped across me like a weighted blanket. I couldn’t get out from underneath them. I wanted to retaliate and tell this person to stop speaking so cruelly to me. But I couldn’t do that because… that person was me.

Do you have an inner critic? A voice that criticizes and condemns, pushing you toward unattainable perfection? I have dubbed mine “the taskmaster.” It is a voice so loud and clear that I forget it’s not audible.

For a long time, I mistook this voice for the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us the Holy Spirit would come to “convict the world of its sin” (see John 16:8) so I thought these statements were needed corrections in my life. But then I learned the difference between conviction and condemnation.

Conviction leads to guilt while condemnation leads to shame. One stems from love, the other from hate. The Holy Spirit points out a wrongdoing so we can look to resolve it with repentance and forgiveness. An action done in love. Condemnation (from ourselves, others, or the devil) ends in shame. It is designed to leave us feeling unworthy and insignificant. It starts from a place of hate, hoping to lure us into hating ourselves. Consider the following:

“You lied” versus “You are a liar.”

One leads to an apology and reconciliation while the other ends in shaping our identity (poorly). Do you see the fine line between these two accusations? One is helping, the other is hurting. Both of them sting, but one empowers us to make it right, the other seeks to define us (poorly).

We must pay attention to the Spirit’s character. He is for us, not against us (Rom. 8:31). He is there to help us in our weakness and intercede for us (Rom. 8:26). He is our advocate, teaching and guiding us into truth (John 16:7,13). His goal is to build us up, not tear us down. He convicts in order to better us.

Once we know his character, we can trust his convictions.

When condemnation speaks, don’t listen. Instead, sit with those emotions and ask God to speak to you about them. Wait and listen for his response. Let him help you sort out what is conviction (if there is any) and what is condemnation. Also, try writing out what condemnation is saying to you, like I did at the top of this article. Note the shame in your own words. And note those words are the taskmaster.

And make no mistake: The taskmaster is not the Holy Spirit.

We are our own worst critics. And we can be so cruel! It is time to silence the taskmaster and tune into the Holy Spirit.

So, choose wisely.

Listen to the Voice that is for you and is spurring you on. The One who is not afraid to challenge you to own up to your mistakes and seek to make them right. The One who only speaks in love.

Be Intentional: What area of your life does the taskmaster address? Write out the statements you hear and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth, helping you silence condemnation.