From "The Pilgrims Progress" by John Bunyan" I am reading this great classic again. “But why did you continue to resist the first workings of God’s blessed Spirit on you?” “For a variety of reasons,” Hopeful said. “First of all, I did not understand that this conviction was the work of God in me and that He begins the conversation with a sinner by making them aware of their sin. Secondly, I enjoyed my sin and was hesitant to leave it. Thirdly, I didn’t know how to part ways with my old friends whose company and lifestyle I continued to enjoy. And finally, when I felt the weight of this conviction over my sin, it terrified me so that I could not bear to think about the guilt it left behind on my heart.” Christian considered the answer and replied, “So what you’re saying is that occasionally you were able to resist your conviction?” “Yes, that’s true,” Hopeful said, nodding. “But then it would return to my thoughts again, and I would be as bad—no, even worse—than I was before!” “Why?” Christian said, probing. “What was it that made you think about your sins again?” “Many things, for example, if I met a man around town who was doing what was right and good, if I heard the Bible read or mentioned, if I was sick, if I heard that one of my neighbors was sick, if I heard the bell toll for someone who had died, if I thought of dying myself, or if I heard that someone had died unexpectedly.” Hopeful stopped and looked at Christian. “But especially when I considered that I would eventually die and stand in judgment before God.” “When you were confronted with any of these situations, were you able to easily dismiss the guilt you were feeling over your sin?” asked Christian. “No, I could not. When I thought of returning to sin, my conscience was completely overcome with guilt.