Have you ever felt
like you were living a life of fear? There are so many times in my life that I
am fearful. Fearful of others, fearful of the unknown, fearful of failing,
fearful of not being happy. I am constantly anxious about one thing or another—most
of the time things that really aren't that big of a deal. I let my fear and
doubt get in the way of me living. I almost feel like I am simply existing and
going through the motions of the world.
In the world today,
we let our feelings and emotions guide us, rather than letting the principles
God has given us guide our every move. The pastor at church this morning talked
about how we live a life based on emotions and compromise. We are willing to
compromise rather than find God’s best and follow His principles. That truly is
a heartbreaking fact of life.
A movie that has recently come out has a quote
in it that says, “We accept the love that we think we deserve.” I believe this
is why we compromise. I’m not just talking about relationships, here. In every
aspect in life, we don’t think we deserve much, so we are willing to compromise
everything we once believed so strongly in. The fear and anxieties that work
their way into our lives are emotions that do not belong. God does not want
fear to guide us, He wants to guide us. He wants us to depend on Him in the
times of fear, stress, sadness, and happiness. I do not want to compromise
truly living my life because of fear and anxieties by simply just existing.
If the quote from
above about accepting the love we think we deserve is true, then most of us
think we don’t deserve much. We believe that compromise is the best bet.
However, God thinks differently. If we got the love that we deserved, we would
have no love. God would not have sent His one and only Son to die on the cross
for you. Jesus would not have taken your punishment. But, He did. His love is
an overflowing ocean that we do not deserve. If God thinks of you as the
valuable jewel that you are, then why should we compromise? You’re right….we shouldn't.
God does not want you to compromise; He wants
what is best for you. If we have waited and live out the principles that God
has given us to live by without compromise, then won’t that be worth the wait?
I believe so. We will feel better about ourselves and we will truly live and
feel like living, rather than just existing and going through the motions.
If I had just compromised
everything in life and continued living in a way that was not pleasing to God,
it would make me question life. I would not want to live, but would only want
to exist. “Compromise leads to compromise, leads to compromise.” Don’t let the
world bring you down. Realize how priceless you are to God and recognize that
compromise is not the right answer. Live out God’s principles and stay true to
your beliefs. The happiness you will feel in the end will be worth all the time
of waiting and not compromising.
We do not need to
just sit and wait around for our flashing neon sign. We need to go after what
God has called us to do. If we sit around waiting, it’s almost like
compromising in the sense of time. We must step out of our comfort zone and go
after what God has called of us. Some good friends of mine posted a status the
other day saying, “There is no way you can be a Christian and have a comfort
zone.” That made me think of how much I am stuck in my comfort zone and I need
to get out. No matter how shy or afraid I am, I must step out and fulfill God’s
purpose for my life. I must live out my love for Christ to others. God will
give the strength and courage needed to step out and fulfill His purpose. His love never fails.
"And they
shall be Mine, says the Lord Almighty, in that day when I make up ‘My
jewels" (Mal. 3:17)
