Holy Conviction

So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
- James 2:17, NLT

In our Men’s Night Out last Friday, we discussed the importance of listening to God’s voice. One way God speaks to us is by a way of conviction. When God convicts us, how should we respond? A former employee of a restaurant in Tucson, Arizona made the news when she sent a letter to her former boss seeking forgiveness with $1,000. The letter reads:

I worked for you as a waitress very briefly back in the 1990s, while a student at U of A. One of the waiters I worked with had encouraged me to ‘forget’ to ring in a few drinks a shift and pocket the cash. And for some stupid reason, I did it. I grew up in church, I knew better. I hadn’t stolen a dime before then, nor have I since. Thankfully, I was a terrible waitress and you all fired me before it could amount to more than a few hundred dollars total. It’s been 20 years, but I still carry great remorse. I am very sorry that I stole from you. Please accept my apology and this money as a repayment + 20 years of interest. May God forever bless you and your family.

What makes this story even more amazing is that the former boss received this letter one day after her purse was stolen while she was buying groceries. God’s conviction led the anonymous former employee to demonstrate God’s transformative power. The Well Church, my prayer is that we are a church that not only hears God’s voice, but also act on His convictions. So, let me ask you, “What is God saying to you today?”