I've been convicted a lot recently from books I have read and am reading. Once again, conviction comes from John Bunyan's Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: Or Brief Faithful Relation Exceeding Mercy God Christ his Poor Servant John (Penguin Classics).

John Bunyan was imprisoned for 12 years merely for "gathering people together" and preaching the gospel to them. His crime wasn't the preaching, but the gathering of the people, for he gathered them outside of the  structured Church of England.

The officers gave him many chances for release—even telling him that they would release him if he simply said that he wouldn't gather the people anymore. They didn't even care if he preached to them. Yet Bunyan was so completely sold out to Christ that this wasn't even an option for him. He would rather stay in prison that comply with their small wish.

I wonder what I would have done if I were in Bunyan's situation. I've been raised in a culture that promotes self-comfort so I feel as though I would have probably told the officers what they wanted to hear, and then gone back to doing what I was doing. A little white lie is all that it would have taken. But even that was too much for Bunyan to do. I wish I had this boldness with my relationship with Christ. I wish I was able to hold back from telling even a little white lie even if it meant losing my comfort for the sake of the gospel.

Lord, please make me bold. I want each action of each day of my life to be ordained by You and done for You. Help me to die to comfort and die to self for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of Your glory.