Most of us have heard the expression, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
But what exactly is it that makes the tough get going? What is the determining factor? What's their motivation?
What motivated Noah to build the ark when he had never seen rain? (Genesis 6-8)
What caused Daniel to stay faithful in prayer even at the risk of his life? (Daniel 6)
What made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow to the king's statue despite the fiery furnace? (Daniel 3)
What caused Paul to endure persecution, imprisonment, beatings, and the threat of death for no other crime than preaching the Gospel? (2 Corinthians 11:21-27)
What made Peter say, "We have to obey God rather than men?" (Acts 4:19)
The answer is conviction. The deep, unshakeable belief that convinces you that what you are doing is God's will for your life combined with the deep, unwavering belief that the center of God's will is the only place you want to be.
Conviction is what keeps you going in the hard times.
When money is short, when the hours are long, when the struggle is real, and temptation has never been more tempting… that's when your conviction that you love God and want His perfect will for your life enables you to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.
This level of conviction is an absolute necessity when it comes to obeying God. It gives you the fire in your belly to do whatever it takes through the hard times.
Trust me when I say that everyone goes through hard times. On the days when you want to throw up your hands and say "Enough," your conviction that you are following God, that you are committed to His will, and your belief that He has a purpose and a plan will help you keep moving forward.
Conviction helps us keep going even when others are critical of our choices.
Conviction keeps us from sin. Because let's be honest: there are days when the temptation to sin is very appealing. (That's why it's called "temptation.”) We all have moments of weakness where we wonder, "What's the big deal?", "Don't I deserve a little fun?", "Will it really make that big of an impact on my life?" or the famous "Everyone else is doing it."
The conviction that following God is worth doing whatever it takes keeps us on the strait and narrow, choosing not to engage in sin even for a moment.
It's our conviction that God's Word is true, that obeying His Word is the best path for our lives, and that He will reward those who follow His commands, that enables us to choose to walk away from temptation, to do the right thing even when it hurts, and faithfully follow God's commands.
Conviction will help you stand up to even Christians who try to pull you into their level of compromise. Conviction gives you the strength to say, "I'm sorry. I just can't go against what I believe to be God's commands."
Finally:
Conviction propels us to keep going when our calling isn't what we expected.
Trust me, no matter what your dream life looks like, actually walking in your calling is very different than you imagined. Real life always carries more unexpected responsibilities, obstacles, and sacrifices than anticipated. Every calling has mundane and boring days when the work is tedious or just plain messy. Sorry to disappoint, but real life can never live up to the fantasy.
Conviction convinces us that our path is God's will, and because we are passionate about following God, we keep going forward.
Conviction motivates us to be consistent in our time of prayer and Bible reading, believing that God is listening and has something to say to us.
It makes us pursue the empowerment of the Holy Spirit because we are convinced that we cannot complete God's plan for our lives alone.
Conviction motivates us to sacrifice and make the investments necessary to fulfill our calling, believing that our sacrifices will produce dividends for the kingdom of God.
Conviction helps us step out in faith, following God wherever He leads.
It challenges us to be humble and seek the advice of a mentor, believing that their experience can be the platform we build on as we follow God's call for our lives.
The conviction that our responsibility is to fulfill the Great Commission and help people find a personal relationship with God leads us to do whatever it takes to live a life of love.
As we said before, the conviction that God's ways are the best way to live our lives propels us to do whatever it takes to pursue a life of holiness and be people of personal integrity.
As we all have a calling, each has a personal responsibility to make this our lifelong motto: "Whatever it takes, I'll do it for God."
As long as you live, you can still choose to follow God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Today, God is calling you to live a life of boldness—doing whatever it takes to follow Him.
Just like Peter and Paul, God has a plan for your life.
The question now rests with you: Do you want to walk in your call?
Are you convinced that living for God is worth doing whatever He asks with all your heart?
Will you commit today to allowing this conviction to become a driving passion in every action, decision, and direction you take for the remainder of your days?
The opportunity is here. What will you choose?
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