When Christian Living Fights a Battle With Compromise

“Owwwwwch!” I moaned to no one but anyone who might be so inclined as to listen.

Making the bed has its risks. Working from left to right I consistently stub my toes on the hard edge of the bed foot and hit my shin on the metal corner of the mattress frame.

Why such consistency, you might ask? You’d think I’d learn. Yes, you would, wouldn’t you?

The kitchen cupboard door, the corner of the desk, and coffee table all have square corners in cahoots.

I consider this as I stretch the bottom sheet and gingerly limp around my bed. Sometimes we just need to watch out for hard edges, I think. And the thought took me to some things I’ve been facing. It caused me to consider my tone, my words, and actions toward people I love.

It made me wonder where hurts, bitternesses, and life’s hard knocks have created unflattering edges in my character. Protective shields. Or even maybe aggressive armor. Where have I compromised my Christian living in hard heartedness?

Maybe it doesn’t help that society exalts tough audacity. It probably makes it extra challenging when the messages we get from social media and entertainment exalt rebelliousness. It’s perplexing when strength of character and courage are confused with short tempered tantrums.

The Lord speaks throughout the Bible about the Spirit’s work of exchanging hard hearts for soft ones, transforming them into hearts that trust Him.

But honestly, in the day to day, I’m often caught up in the raging river of what happens around me. I find myself floundering in its current, becoming angry with people and fearful of things. I’m frustrated with circumstances that I cannot change. When I look around me, I’m sure I’m not alone. Christian living always fights a battle with compromise.

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.” (Titus 3:3 ESV)

Titus must have lived in a similar world to ours. It was a world hardened by immorality, idolatry, and worldly ideology. The Apostle Paul, as he writes the letter to his co-worker and spiritual son, describes it then, but it surely fits now.

Christian living fought a battle with compromise in the newly formed churches of Crete. False teachings gained a platform from inside the church bringing teachings that gray-washed conduct and prompted hard-edged divisions.

And so Paul reminds Titus of the picture of radical transformational love, the sort that transplants hearts of stone with hearts soft to God’s love. The kind of transformation that takes natural heart reactions and fills them with supernatural trust. The kind that wins the battle over compromise.

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:4-6 ESV)

As Paul lays out for Timothy the type of character qualities for church leaders, I find myself challenged in how I live my own life in the little things. I want Jesus to shine in the painful hurts and inconveniences that test me. I want to reject hardness and embrace the character of Christ. I don’t want what I say or how it’s said to compromise my testimony for Jesus.

Because Jesus’ goodness has saved me, I can demonstrate goodness in my thoughts and actions toward others. Because He has shown lovingkindness to me, I can allow love and kindness to characterize my dealings with others. Because He is merciful to me each day, I can show mercy to others. 

Jesus takes away my inability to see beyond my own hurts, difficulties, and hardened edges. He brings His character of love and forgiveness into situations that fight against what the work of the Holy Spirit wants to do within.

This week had some stubbed toes and hard edges, some tough situations, and with them opportunities for hardness or for renewal. Christian living fought a personal battle with compromise in my attitude and actions.

Hard edges soften as I spend time in the Word. Circumstances mold to His desires as I bring them to Him in prayer and trust His Sovereignty in all things. I recognize that like the church in Crete, I need encouragement and accountability from others in the faith to follow Jesus with obedience. 

He exchanges hearts of stone with soft hearts controlled by His Spirit and malleable to His will.   

Jesus never wastes life’s bruises. 

He can take our hard knocks and turn them into mirrors of His goodness.Jesus never wastes life’s bruises. Share on X