Compromise is not worth the trouble it brings. At the age of twenty I had rededicated my life to the Lord after living in teenage rebellion. In trying to make up for my rebellious ways, I became a straight arrow. I didn't listen to secular music, I didn't curse, I did not watch R-rated movies, and I did not even date. I showed up to church every time the doors were open and was involved in every activity that I could participate in outside of working a full time job. I lived with my pastor and his wife for three years and became part of their family. Even though I worked retail at that time, I was blessed and favored to not have to work weekends. Regretfully, I gave up an opportunity to go to college for free out of fear of missing a move of God. For, it was passionately prophesied and preached about as though it would happen any moment. Talk about zeal without wisdom on my part! But one thing I never thought I would do is compromise. Never say never.
I experienced many disappointments over the next several years: friends and leaders I loved who left the church, a devastating fire that destroyed our building, a friendship lost due to an affair, and a church split. Now almost thirty, I began to notice that the prophetic words I heard over the years regarding that move of God within our midst never came to pass. I began to feel discouraged and even wrestled with prophetic words spoken over my own life. I felt anxious about my future. Had I given up college in vain? Would I ever marry or have children? Would I ever have a rewarding job? Am I even in the right church? I felt guilty for even having these questions and so I put them out of my mind. It was during this time that compromise crept in. Compromise is sneaky. It doesn't come head-on, advertising its arrival. It sneaks in a little bit at a time and before you know it, you are in over your head.
I felt very lonely and isolated and so when asked out on a date by a co-worker, I thought "Why not?". That seemingly "innocent" date led to an unholy relationship that would change the trajectory of my life. I hid my dating relationship from others out of shame because he was an unbeliever. This very out of character for me and I knew it was wrong. I remember feeling immense guilt over it, crying out to the Lord frequently. During that time I received prophetic words from more than one prophet that seemed to have a particular theme: "Woman of purity". It was as if my Heavenly Father was telling me "This (the dating situation) is not you. Let me tell you who who you really are." I tried to end the relationship more than once but ultimately became unequally yoked. The marriage didn't last long and we divorced when my daughter was two years old and my son was a newborn. A few years later, I found myself in a 6-year battle to protect my children from their father who was abusing them. It's an awkward feeling to regret the compromise but yet know that my children were the greatest gifts ever given to me. I believe that the Lord would still have given them to me if I had not compromised. They would have had a different father who would have loved them and not abused them. These are the consequences of compromising out of loneliness, disappointment, and anxiety. Fast forward several years from my divorce to my children's father.
I remember sitting in a booth at Applebee's with my spiritual father. His late wife, whom I was very close with, had lost her battle with cancer just two months prior. He asked me to meet him in a public place because he had something to discuss with me. I assumed the topic of discussion would be church-related. I did not know compromise was at my doorstep. The enemy knew this time it would have to come through someone I trusted and there was no one I trusted more than my spiritual father. Sitting across from me, he asked me to put my hands on the table and then he held them in his hands and asked me to look him in the eyes. I felt immensely uncomfortable, wanting to slide down my seat and hide under the table! I didn't know what to do. Here was my pastor grieving the loss of his wife and even though He was acting very strange, I still trusted Him. I didn't see that guilting me not to leave him like "everyone else" was manipulation. If remember feeling sorry for him. Then, he dropped the bomb: "I'm grieving and I need you to see me not as a spiritual father but as just a man who is vulnerable in my grief". I did not see that coming and also did not see the implication of what that meant because I trusted him.
He told me that if I could not do this, I might as well leave him too and then he excused himself to the men's room, leaving me to think about his question. The first thought that came to my mind was "I have no where to go". Because of his criticism of other ministries over the years, I genuinely believed that was true. I then noticed the exit sign. It was as if it was highlighted to me in slow motion. I felt like I was in a movie scene and everything in me wanted to follow that exit sign. But, I had been faithful for 19 years and didn't want to desert him after the loss of his wife. As uncomfortable as I was, I stayed, having no idea that he was grooming me into marrying him. I loved him, but never for a moment did I love him in that way. If anything, I was completely unattracted to him. The next several months He carefully schemed and manipulated until I said yes. It turned out to be an extremely difficult marriage. I can't tell you how many times I ignored that sinking feeling in my gut during those years. Ten years later, I found myself needing to protect my kids from a father figure once again. Trying to leave that relationship became the battle of my life. He promised he would never stop pursuing me. I had never experienced so much spiritual warfare as during that time. I felt like with Elijah hiding in a cave, being pursued by Jezebel except for the fact that I'm not a prophet. I should have followed that exit sign but out of co-dependence and unwillingness to confront, I compromised.
I gave two very personal examples to show that what we don't overcome in one season, will come around in another. It may look different but what we don't courageously face in one season, we will see again in another. You might as well save yourself the misery that comes with compromise. Be consecrated instead! The definition of compromise means to make concessions. A compromise is an agreement between two sides. It mans to give up something in order to reach an agreement. An agreement with whom? The one who walks about like a lion seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. You come to an agreement with fear, anxiety, loneliness, lack, etc... and you settle rather than trusting fully in God. What are you giving up when you compromise? You are trading God's perfect will and plan for something of much less value. You are no longer consecrated.
The Apostle Paul writes: In a place you find many kinds of containers and tableware for many different uses. Some are beautifully inlaid with gold or silver, but some are made of wood or earthenware; some of them are used for banquets and special occasions, and some for everyday use. But you, Timothy, must not see your life and ministry this way. Your life and ministry must not be disgraced, for you are to be a pure container of Christ and dedicated to the honorable purposes of your Master, prepared for every good work that he gives you to do. Run as fast as you can from all the ambitions and lusts of youth; and chase after all that is pure. Whatever builds up your faith and deepens your love must become your holy pursuit. And live in peace with all those who worship our Lord Jesus with pure hearts. 2 Timothy 2:20-22. TPT
Read this out loud: "I am a vessel". Paul tells Timothy that his live and ministry must not be disgraced. You may be saying "But I don't have a ministry like Paul or Timothy". If you are born again you have a ministry. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.- 2 Corinthians 5:11. We are ministers of Reconciliation. I dare you to read 2 Timothy 2:20-22 again and put your name in Timothy's place. You are a vessel. You are to be a pure container of Christ, dedicated to His honorable purposes, and prepared for every good work that He gives us to do. That is to be our holy pursuit.
Because the days are growing darker and more evil, it's important now more than ever that we have nothing in common with darkness. The word of God tells us that in the last days many will fall away. There is no room for compromise anymore. We must remain pure and pursue that which is holy. There is no room for compromise and I believe that the consequences of compromise will be even greater because of the dark times we are in. We must remain consecrated (set apart) for His purposes. There will have opportunities to compromise. Every day we must make a decision to trust God. I feel like the Lord has brought me full circle. Once again I am trusting Him for all things: comfort, companionship, provision, protection, etc... I may not know how He is going to provide. I may not know exactly what my future looks like but I do know this: the bad fruit of compromise is not worth it giving in to the voice of fear or anxiety. I am in a better place trusting the Lord and remaining consecrated to Him.
To remain consecrated takes courage because compromise will always look like the easier path to take. We must remain pure. We must remain set apart and dedicated for honorable purposes. We've been bought with a price. We new creations. We are the righteousness of God. Will you be a pure container for Christ? Will you choose courageous consecration?
Here's a few scriptures for thought:
When a lover of God gives in and compromises with wickedness, it can be compared to contaminating a stream with sewage or polluting a fountain. - Proverbs 25:26
If you burn away the impurities from silver, a sterling vessel will emerge from the fire. - Proverbs 25:4
When you live a life of abandoned love, surrendered before the awe of God, here's what you'll experience: Abundant life. Continual protection, and complete satisfaction. Psalm 19:23 TPT
-Learning to live Authentically!
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