Do You Have An "Uneasy Conscience"? Maybe Even One of Guilt? Of Shame? Of Fear? Then Consider Trusting in Christ as Savior and LORD! He Can Deliver Your Inner Person! A Point to Ponder . . .

Who or what is influencing your thought life?

A Devotional Thought for Friday January 9, from the Pen of

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress.

An Uneasy Conscience

“A man’s spirit will endure sickness but a crushed spirit who can bear” Proverbs 18:14.

Further, in these days I should find my heart to shut itself up against the Lord. Against his Holy Word. I have found my unbelief to set, as it were, the shoulder to the door to keep him out. And when I have with many a bitter sigh cried, good Lord! Break it open; Lord, break these gates of brass, and cut these bars of iron in two pieces (Psalm 107:16, KJV). Yet that word would sometimes create in my heart a peaceable pause, “I girded [prepared] thee, though thou hast not known me” (Isa 45:5).

But all this while as to the act of sinning, I never was more tender than now; I dare not take a pin or a stick, though but so big as a straw, for my conscience now was sore, and would hurt at every touch; I could not now tell how to speak my words, for fear I should misplace them. Oh, how gingerly did I then go in all I did or said! I found myself as in a muddy bog that shook if I did but stir; and was there left both of God and Christ, and the Spirit, and all good things.

But, I observe, though I was such a great sinner before conversion, yet God never much charged the guilt of the sins of my ignorance upon me. Only he showed me I was lost if I had not Christ, because I had been a sinner; I saw that I wanted a perfect righteousness to present me without fault before God, and this righteousness was nowhere to be found, but in the person of Jesus Christ. . .. I was thus afflicted with the fears of my own damnation.