Same Roots Different Fruits: A Lesson on Shame vs. Conviction

Uncategorized May 04, 2017

Shame and conviction have the same roots but different fruits. They are both rooted in sin that led to defeat, and perhaps a dose of humiliation.

Shame has Satan for a gardener.

Conviction has the Holy Spirit.

Shame’s gardener comes to steal, kill and destroy.

Conviction’s Gardner comes to give life more abundant.

If you let shame’s gardener tend to your garden, you will produce the fruit of hatred and self-loathing, despair, regret, impatience, harshness, wishy-washiness, and a life out of control. Your “crop” will spread like wildfire, and consume the plants surrounding it.

If you let conviction’s gardener tend to your garden, you will produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Your crop will nourish the soil and all your other plants will grow even more beautiful.

The fruit you produce will depend NOT on the root (any ol’ root will do), but on the one you allow to tend your garden.

So, whose tending your garden? Take this super-personal, private inventory to discover which gardener is “working” on you.

Choose which statement best describes you:

1. I should have never…  vs. Now that I know, I will…

2. How could I be so…     vs. I’m so grateful I’ve learned…

3. What was I thinking?! I will never…      vs. Wow, I didn’t know that! Now that I do…

4. I can never show my face there again!  vs. Ooooo, it will be hard, but I will ask them to forgive me.

5. Why do I even try? vs. What have I got to lose?

  If you like this blog post, you will enjoy this one I found on the same subject, 4 Ways to Tell the Difference Between Conviction and Condemnation.

 

 

Close

50% Complete

Join the community and start receiving weekly devotionals and teaching lessons in your inbox today!