The Cost of Compromise

The Cost of Compromise : Transparency Journey

"It costs you something every time you overlook God's will for your life and seek after your own desires." - Nikia A. Handy

Compromise: Accept standards that are lowered than is desirable

Hey guys! It is imperative to define compromise as we count the cost of compromising on your journey. I hear all the time how this walk is never easy. And I have learned myself that in fact it’s NOT! It is going to cost you everything. How bad do you want God and want him to move in your life? You literally must trade in your OLD life for a NEW life. The bible tells us that once we made accepted salvation and made the decision to follow Christ, we are new creatures. 2 Corinthian 5:17 states "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!" (Berean Study Bible). This verse tells us that we are a new creature once we accept Christ. Our old ways and old being is destroyed. No longer are we defined by our ways, flaws, mistakes, and past. I can give God the credit because he cleaned me up!

I should be clear that this Christian walk is imperfect because we are imperfect beings. I was in church recently and during the part in service in which others give testimonies, a lot were made how they were living to be seen and it’s sad because as Christians we place these realistic burdens on ourselves. Once we receive Christ, it doesn’t mean we will no longer have hardships, but we can be confident in the fact that GOD will see us through whatever we go through! As a Christian, we must walk this thing out. We can’t be passive, we can’t be fragile, we must gird up our loins with authority. The enemy isn’t playing but he is playing for keeps and I don’t want any parts! We must take up our Christ every day and that means giving it our best. The bible reads "Then Jesus said unto his disciple, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life will lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:24-26). This verse is saying that picking up your cross daily is what it means to truly follow Jesus. In the next verse, it says that when we try to take our life in our hands, we will lose it, but once submitted to God's will, his will and plans for our life is much better.

On this journey, I have learned a few things :

1.  You reject your purpose and purpose when you compromise.

When you compromise, you fail to tap into all who GOD called you to be. You neglect your purpose, calling, and ultimately God's will for your life. You choose to focus on what you can see, and your heart turns around from God and is then placed on your own desires and affections.

"For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted our lured away and enticed." (James 1:13-14 BSB)

"Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away." - Wesley Notes

2.  You are battling both internally and externally against God.

What most people don’t realize is that we are in a supernatural fight! We are fighting physical and spiritually. From day to day, we are overwhelmed with our problems and weighed down by what we can see. However, the Lord tells us that we should remain on guard. You are battling with what is in your heart and mind. Our heart has the tendency to deceive us and before we can carry the weight of what we may be dealing it, our mind struggles to process it!

Our mind tries to troubleshoot. It tries to rationalize logically and mentally process what we are being exposed to it. When we decide to compromise, we go against what we know and choose what we want!

'For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12 BSB)

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV).

 3. Compromising means we are living in mediocrity. Therefore, living below our true potential.

Ultimately, when we compromise, we are tricking ourselves into believing that a little sin won’t hurt now and then. We are compromising perhaps to for acceptance and or to please ourselves. But we must stop letting the enemy rule our minds and letting rule in our live. We give him power every time we decide to look at pornography, not open our bible, and or watch some HGTV! We need our spiritual food. WE NEED a connection with God, and it has taken me so long to understand why our relationship with God is so important. We make him happy every time we choose him over God!

(Verses to Read: Colossians 3:2. 1 Peter 5:8).

4. We can have hope on this Christian walk. We are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. 

"Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil 2:12 BSB).

In simpler terms, we can work it out by living our faith, staying on guard, standing on the promises of God. I am still learning how to utilize what God has given me to walk out my purpose!

Recommended Verses: 1 Peter 5:8-9, Acts 5:38, Philippians 2:12

Prayer: Dear God, help me not to compromise. Each day I wake up let me thankful to be alive! I will not give unto my temptations or desires.  I trust that your will is the best for my life, your plans are good! I declare that I will no longer play it safe and live in mediocrity. I will no longer fear, I will no longer, worry, or doubt your plans. I will no longer focus on what I can see but beyond that's when my faith takes root!

Love always, Nikia

Founder of The Purpose Room Ministries