The Problem with Compromise
We all yield to compromise in our lives. Typically, compromise brings about subtle drifting away from God. You feel yourself moving, but you don’t realize how far away from God you have become.
Biblical Example of Compromise
Take a look at David in 2 Samuel 11. He got out of bed one night for a stroll across the roof of his nice big “Aladdin” palace. This stroll led to some serious sinning. David saw Bathsheba and said “Ooowee, I gotta have her.” One problem…she was married. Their relationship was set to fail because it was defined by compromise and sin.
David should have been out leading and fighting with his army. Instead, he compromised…he didn’t do what he should have done but did what he knew was wrong. He then set her husband up to die in battle and David took Bathsheba as his bride.
Huh? David compromised his beliefs and his duties by not going off to battle with his men. He then got down and dirty with a married woman, which eventually led to him setting her husband up to be killed in battle.
This story shows the subtle movement compromise causes in our lives. What started out as a decision to stay home instead of going to fight, David set himself up for a downward spiral away from the Lord, committing sin after sin.
You are probably saying, “…but I haven’t been called to battle, I would never set someone up to be killed, my name’s not David.” You are probably right, these things might never happen to you, but you will be forced to make decisions where you will either follow God and stay true to His commands, or you will compromise what you believe.
Compromise opens the door to everything we believe in.
When we are led to compromise, we decide to follow the things God tells us to avoid. God tells us to avoid such things because He knows they will only bring us trouble and destroy our faith. Most likely, neither will happen instantly, but over time we continually drift away from God and towards the things we compromised our beliefs to follow.
REASONS FOR COMPROMISE
Why do we compromise what we know is right?
- We have doubts and fears. As a child of God, there is no reason for us to become fearful or to doubt God’s Word. Nothing we face will ever be too great for God to handle.
- We want to feel unified with everyone else. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you know is right. Better to be right in God’s eyes than in the world’s eyes.
- We have a need for acceptance. Acceptance is a big reason why we do things we know are not a part of God’s plan for us. People can love you today and hate you tomorrow, but God’s love is eternal.
- We are bombarded by peer pressure. You never have to compromise what you know is right to be a part of a group. If someone requires you to compromise your beliefs in order for them to “accept” you…get away from that person!
- We become weak and discouraged spiritually. By compromising our basic convictions, we allow our very thought patterns to become corrupted. We start seeing things from the world’s perspective instead of God’s.
- We are blinded by pride. Our pride can keep us from realizing we are compromising God’s truth. Pride causes us to see ourselves as better and more successful and more deserving of certain things than others.
The compromise we are discussing comes when we make concessions to believe or act in a certain way. We know that what we have said or done is not right and is sinful. We compromise our morals, our marriage relationship, our parenting, the way we dress, the music we listen to, our conversations, how we handle our money, and even how/who we decide to marry.
Compromise always leads us away from God. Stay strong…don’t be afraid to say no…avoid compromising situations…trust God 🙂
What are some areas of life that you struggle with compromising? How do you fight the pull to compromise in those situations?