One of my good friends and mentors used to say that "conviction without change is wasted emotion."

Read that again.

Read it once more. Slowly.

As I was studying for this Sundays sermon out of Acts 17 and Paul's witness in Athens, I was particularly struck by these words:

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. Acts 17:16 (ESV)

I'll be talking in my sermon on Sunday about these words in their context and what Paul did about this wave of emotion in light of the context. But for a moment let me make this point: Paul's spirit was provoked. There was a conviction down to the core of his being. And he responded. He made a change.

When you are convicted about something, how do you respond? Do you make a change fuled by grace and the Holy Spirit? Or do you ignore it, possibly quenching the Spirit?

• Have you been convicted to reach out to someone who needs encouragement?
• Have you been convicted to call someone?
• Have you been convicted to write a note to someone?
• Have you been convicted to send a text message to someone?
• Have you been convicted to confront someone in love?
• Have you been convicted to forgive someone?
• Have you been convicted to start __________ ?
• Have you been convicted to stop __________ ?
• Have you been convicted ________________ ?

When our spirit is provoked, let's respond. Let's obey. Let's pray and listen and respond.

Conviction without change is wasted emotion.