Distraction can actually be Conviction

Yesterday, we had a really powerful and beautiful service!  The move of the Holy Spirit was sweet and amazing!

After service, one of our members came to me and was disturbed because she had felt "distracted." While other people were having all these amazing experiences around her, she felt she wasn't able to enter in, almost as if she had missed what the Holy Spirit was doing.

Upon asking her a few questions, I realized that actually, what had happened to her was exactly what I had been hoping would happen in the service.  That it wouldn't just be about feelings and sensations, but that God would speak to people about the things that they are doing that they shouldn't be doing, and that He would speak to people about doing the things that He has been asking them to do but they have not been aware, lazy or resistant about.  it's called conviction and it doesn't feel nice.

So instead of feeling bad of the awareness of not praying enough, not reading the Bible, engaging in gossip and slander and whatever else the Holy Spirit is "distracting" you about, embrace it and realize that He is drawing you to Himself and to becoming a better you for Him!

We talked about it in the afternoon Pastoral Candidate Training class and discovered that this is common.  It happens to many people.  They confuse conviction with distraction.

I have now begun to understand that in order for the Holy Spirit to convict us, He will often begin by distracting us!  Getting our attention!