Acts 2:37
"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
A proper response to conviction is vital to the outcome of your future.
Many people have responded wrong to conviction only to find that it caused more problems. Dealing with conviction in the proper manner will help you find the right solutions needed.
In the verse above, the people who heard Peter preach were under conviction for their need of salvation. They had never heard that Christ was the only way to Heaven, so when they were convicted from the preaching, they asked, "...what shall we do?" This question and the following actions led them to get saved and be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
If you are tender to the voice of the Holy Spirit, you will find that conviction is common. It is common because we are all sinners. If a person is never under conviction, then that means they are not listening to His whispering voice. Though the verse above deals with the need of salvation, it also shows us four steps on how we should deal with conviction.
First, acknowledge your problem. Notice, they asked, "...what shall we do?" This question was an acknowledgement that they had a problem. Let me be absolutely clear with you; when the Holy Spirit convicts a person, then they have a problem. For you to sit and ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit to ignore your problem. You can't fix your problem until you acknowledge it. You are only hurting yourself when you won't acknowledge your problem. Acknowledging that you have a problem is the first step in changing any situation.
Second, you must humble yourself. Humility is found in the question they asked. They not only acknowledged they had a problem, but they humbled themselves enough to ask those who could help. I often find that pride keeps us from getting our problems fixed. Most of the time we can identify our problems, but we don't humble ourselves and get help for our problems. You can't fix your financial situation until you humble yourself and ask for help. You can't fix your marital or family problems until you humble yourself and go ask someone to help you. This can be applied to any situation. Stop trying to handle it yourself, and humble yourself and get help.
Third, you must repent of your action. Repentance is simply turning from one thing and doing the opposite. Until you change what you're doing, you will continue to get the same results. Yes, you can get help, but you must change your actions if you are going to change your results. There must be a turning away from what you are doing, and turning to what is right to do.
Fourth, you must identify the right crowd. Peter told them, "Repent, and be baptized..." Baptism is an identification with Christ. You can change your actions, but you will go back to what you were doing if you don't change the crowd with whom you associate. Being with the right crowd will help you to do the right things.
The result of doing the right thing is you will find a good spirit. When you get saved, you will find that the Holy Spirit of God lives inside you. Likewise, when you do right, you will find your spirit will be set free.
You will never find the freedom in life you desire until you take these steps. When you're convicted about something, instead of balling up and fighting it, follow these four steps. Conviction is a good thing, but how you respond to it will determine how conviction affects your outlook and future.