Mindset: Compromise

Dr. Charles Stanley is among my favorite preachers and he has been one of them for most of my life.  He seemed old when I was young and still is now, but the timeless messages of the Bible are exactly that, timeless.

My kids and I have been doing 'Read Through the Bible in a Year".  We're a little more than a month into this, as we didn't start until the end of the first week of March.  We've gone through Leviticus, Numbers and now Deuteronomy.  We've also done Matthew and now in Acts.  Additionally, we've gone through Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and now we are in Job.

Through all these books, God has been having all sorts of things jump out at me.  One of the things was that when the Israelites were to go into the Promised Land, they were to demolish all the idols & altars, as well as completely wipe out the people & animals, get rid of all the spoils, in many instances.  He said any remnants is unacceptable and He gave reasons for this.  He did not want partial obedience, because that isn't obedience, rather disobedience.  He also gave the consequences of rebellion & disobedience, which often was death or disease or being taken into captivity.  Not good.

Today I made some drastic changes in an area that I lived in compromise.  To the world and most people, it would seem like nothing, but to God, it showed my disobedience and rebellion.  The Bible says that rebellion is as witchcraft.  Ugggh.  What's been on my mind for quite some time now is that God is Holy.  Holy means to be 'Set Apart'.  Songs that focus on God's Holiness have been so on my heart.  I've been so drawn to these songs.  Why?  God IS Holy.

God wants me to smash and demolish all idols in my life.  What is an idol?  Anything that I put above God.  Anything!  That could even mean my fitness & health goals.  But, that wasn't it, because it's not an idol.  Anyway, I'm not going to spell it out, but the changes I made to one particular thing in my life is HUGE.  I have not been able to let go of this one thing.  How you do that ONE thing is how you do everything.  Maybe I am where I am and God wanted to release His blessings here in my bodyfat release goals, or health, or financial success or relationship successes but since I was unwilling to release this one thing, but I had all the others, maybe He wasn't going to pour out His blessings on me?

I finally cut the apron strings and obeyed.  God impressed upon me so much today during my walk time.  I need Jesus Christ more than anything, and to think that holding this one dear thing was hindering my relationship with Jesus.  It's never worth disobeying God. 

This didn't come to me just today, but it has been a working in the process for years now.  God wanted me to relinquish this one thing and I just didn't want to and I don't really know why.  It was selfish, wrong, wrong, wrong.  Did I say wrong?  I was wrong and it really hurt things between God & I.  Though I have been growing a lot in the Lord Jesus Christ, I could've really had an anointing through this time instead.  However, I've faced so much heartache.  I don't think it's just because of this one thing, but I think it's the last thing I held onto.

Doing the right thing is exactly that -- THE RIGHT THING!  That's not the easiest thing, but it's the best thing.  It applies also to health & fitness, especially when I don't feel like it.  One is never successful when one lives a compromised life in Christ.  I've asked God to forgive me, and He has.  So, today we move forward, not looking back.

I look forward to God being totally #1 in my life - now 100%, not 99%.  I love the Lord my God with ALL my heart, my mind, my soul.  He is a good God for being so patient with me.