Deflecting Convictions

The preacher was on fire that Sunday. The message was apt, scripturally robust, and deeply relatable to real-life situations. I was on the edge of my seat, almost ready to leap up and shout, “Preach it, Pastor!” But my well-mannered upbringing kept me rooted to the pew. “Such a spectacular message,” I thought to myself, “hitting all the right points and laying the right emphasis.” This is exactly what the church needs to hear today.

However, not long after, a different thought began to creep in. I started thinking about someone else who really needed to hear this message. My mind began to wander, focusing on all the ways a certain individual in my life was falling short of the teachings being expounded from the pulpit. It became less about how the message applied to my own life and more about how much this other person needed it. Before I knew it, I was no longer listening for my own spiritual growth but was fixated on how this sermon would justify what I had been trying to persuade that other person about for so long.

Does this sound familiar? How many times have you sat under a sermon and, instead of applying its message to your own life, found yourself thinking that someone else needs to hear it? This scenario is all too common in church. In a way, it’s reminiscent of the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the tax collector. In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus describes two men who went up to the temple to pray:

"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

The Pharisee was so consumed with comparing himself to others that he missed the opportunity to examine his own heart before God. Similarly, when we listen to a sermon and think more about how it applies to others than to ourselves, we risk missing the transformative power of God’s Word in our own lives.

The temptation to deflect

It’s easy to fall into the trap of deflecting conviction. After all, self-examination can be uncomfortable. But when we deflect the message of a sermon onto others, we not only miss out on personal growth but also fall into a judgmental mindset. Jesus warned against this in Matthew 7:3-5:

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye."

Jesus’ teaching here is clear: we must first address our own shortcomings before we can effectively help others. When we are quick to identify how others need to change, we can become blind to the work that God wants to do in our own hearts.

The Word of God is described in Hebrews 4:12 as:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

This verse reminds us that God’s Word is meant to penetrate our hearts, exposing our deepest thoughts and intentions. It’s designed to convict us, correct us, and guide us into righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). But for that to happen, we must approach it with humility and openness, ready to apply its truths to our own lives.

Consider the example of King David, who after being confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin with Bathsheba, didn’t try to deflect the message. Instead, he responded with one of the most heartfelt prayers of repentance found in the Bible:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

—Psalm 51:10

David didn’t shift the blame or think about who else needed to repent. He recognized his own need for God’s forgiveness and transformation.

Turning the focus inward

Of course, it is a lovely thing to think about how others might benefit from God’s Word. After all, as believers we all have responsibility to share God’s word and teach others to be Christ’s disciples. However, the next time you find yourself listening to a sermon or reading Scripture, challenge yourself to resist the urge to think about who else needs to hear the message. Instead, ask God to reveal what He wants to change in your own life. Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you and lead you to repentance and growth. It is only after this, that you should turn your gaze to others who also need to hear this message.

James 1:22-24 gives us this important reminder:

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."

It’s not enough to just hear the Word—we must act on it. Let the message change you first before you worry about how it applies to others.

What should I do with this:

1       Practice Self-Examination: As you listen to sermons or read Scripture, make a conscious effort to apply the message to your own life first. Ask yourself, “What is God saying to me in this?”

2         Pray for Humility: Pray for a humble heart that is open to conviction and willing to change. Remember the example of the tax collector in Jesus’ parable—acknowledge your need for God’s grace and transformation.

3          Encourage Others, Don’t Judge: When discussing sermons or spiritual teachings with others, focus on encouraging them rather than pointing out their faults. Share how the message impacted you personally and invite them to reflect on their own lives.

4         Be a Doer of the Word: Don’t just hear the Word—act on it. Take tangible steps to apply what you’ve learned to your daily life, allowing God’s Word to transform you from the inside out.

By embracing these practices, we can ensure that we are not just hearers of the Word, but doers, growing in our faith and allowing God’s truth to shape us into the people He desires us to be.