The Bible says, “Without restraints, the people run wild” (Proverbs 29:18 NLT). Liken this to the training wheels being removed way too soon before a child has had the confidence and ability to balance himself. We know if this happens, the child will fall and get hurt. God does not want this to happen to His children. He calls us to put in the effort to learn from His Word, prayer, and godly mentors so we will grow to have a strong walk with Him. We are called to take responsibility for our own actions. We must ask ourselves whether we have trained ourselves correctly. God is there to guide and protect us, but we must do our part.

There is rampant lawlessness today, not only toward the law of the land but toward the law of God and His Word as well. We see more and more that people fail to revere God and respect His authority. When we cast off God’s restraints, we fall further into sin, become increasingly brazen, and possibly develop hardened hearts toward Him. We must learn to heed His guidance and stop ignoring the alarms and yellow flags. 

There is grave danger in coming to the point of no longer feeling God’s conviction. If our love for Him and others has become increasingly cold, we face an even greater tragedy of developing a stone-heart coldness toward our Heaven Father. Don’t let this happen to you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You for Your goodness toward me and for calling me Your child. Even in my faults, You have never given up on me. I humbly offer You my gratitude.

Lord, I ask that You not take Your conviction from me. Please help me overcome anything that is keeping me from living my best for You. Help me to walk away from all I should, to live within Your laws that protect me, and pursue You with all my heart, soul, and mind, so that I may lead others to You. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

We encourage you to honestly look at the times you felt God’s conviction and did not heed His warning. Confess each one of those times to your Heavenly Father, offering true repentance to Him. Then determine in your heart to always listen and respond according to His will each time You sense His promptings or conviction.