You Can't Afford Compromise

Compromise. This is a word that I believe we have all struggled with from time to time and some reading this may be struggling with it in this very moment. We allow little things to sneak into our daily life; we allow little things to sneak into our relationships, our jobs, our thoughts…even our relationship with Jesus.

Little things matter.

It doesn’t take much for your life to start spiraling out of control. It doesn’t take much for your marriage to fall apart. It doesn’t take much for your relationships to break. It doesn’t take much for dishonesty and mistrust to invade your job. Listen to me when I say this, IT DOESN’T MAKE MUCH!

One look at another, one thought entertained, one click of your mouse and BOOM! Your marriage is ending. One lie, one time not paying back the money you borrowed, one word spoken out of turn (gossip) and BAM! Your friendship is nonexistent. One excuse, one fudging of the numbers, one too many days called in sick and WHAM! Your job is over.

Little things add up to a BIG thing! Each compromise we make compiles upon our previous compromises. Pretty soon there’s a mound, a hill, a mountain of compromises to overcome. We can’t turn back because that would mean addressing it, that would mean admitting our wrongs, that would mean starting over. DENIAL enables compromise. Compromise masks DENIAL. Each leads to and thrives in complacency.
I love the challenge and warning Paul writes in Romans:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2 NIV

My mind plays out Paul’s reading of these verses with different inflection. I can hear him shouting it, almost like battle call. I can hear him speaking it softly, with sincerity, emphasizing its sensitive nature. Either way, we need to listen and apply.

The WARNING:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world

The ACTION:
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Allowing Jesus to invade your life leads to RADICAL life transformation. You cannot be the SAME! It just doesn’t happen. If it’s been 5 years and you’re still the same, you haven’t surrendered to Jesus…it’s just that simple. He CHANGES us. He TRANSFORMS us by RENEWING our minds…our hearts. We no longer have to do whatever everyone else is doing simply because everyone else is doing it.

Compromise means I choose to do what I want, not what God wants. Compromise means I choose the shorter route, the easier way. God’s way, God’s will is FAR FROM EASY. It’s tough. It’s difficult. BUT, it’s good! God’s ways don’t make sense, won’t make sense. But knowing that His ways are just and good is more than enough for me. I know that what He would have me do might be rough, it might flat out suck, but in the end I know that He has my best interests at heart. I know that in the end He receives honor. I know that in the end He gets the glory.

No compromises.
No DENIAL.
No complacency.

What needs to change in your life? What compromises have you been making? What areas of your life have you been living in DENIAL? In what areas of your life have you grown complacent? What areas of your life are simply doing what you want?

It’s time for a change.