I think I often believe I'm living with conviction when really I'm just opinionated.
I believe beautiful thinks like that God is love and people should be free.
Yet I occasionally feel frustrated and realise it's because I'm wishing other people to please me or wishing to please other people.
Perhaps my actions aren't in direct opposition to my beliefs, but I think there's enough evidence to say that I'm not as convicted as I think I am. I'm not exactly enslaved to the principles I'd like to say guide my actions.
I am opinionated, however. I try to use information that I have and you don't have . . . because I feel enthusiastic about the information or at least about the fact that I know something you don't know yet and I get to have the thrill of telling you.
That's opinions focus. Opinions have to do with ascribing the way others should be or feel or do. For example, I buy organic food because farmers should grow food smarter.
On the other had, conviction moves me--not a food industry--without having to control any others or worrying about their reaction.
With conviction, I may or may not buy organic food, but I'd grow organic food and share it.
I'm not going to stop or even try to stop sharing my opinions and I'll certainly try to develop my opinions. But I'm going to start focusing on my convictions. What are my convictions, really? How should the ones I've got, change?
In what waves of conviction should I be swallowed up?