By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Today we shall be concluding our discussion on what to do that will make our conviction strong and firm in the face of challenges and trials.*
*4) As a rider to point 3 above, learn to Overcome the _Suggestion of Compromise_. Standing before you, and indeed before every man of conviction, is the challenge of suggestion to compromise that will come to you, and which you will need to overcome or subdue. Note that if care is not taken at this stage, your strength of conviction will collapse totally and irretrievably. You need to be careful in handling this stage.*
*Again, just imagine this statement that was made to Ruth :*
*Ruth 1:15 And she (Naomi ) said, “Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law”.*
*At this stage, it was left for Ruth to buy into the idea of the “going back gear”, but she refused to back down.*
*Again, look at this _suggestion of compromise_ in the life of Joseph :*
*Genesis 39: 11-12:*
*[11]And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.*
*[12]And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.*
*Verse 11 above is a typical suggestion of compromise :*
*”…..and there was none of the men of the house there within”.*
*Were this to happen to some people claiming to stand on conviction, the mere fact that nobody was around was enough for them to swallow the bait of Mrs Portiphar. But not Joseph, just like Ruth above.*
*It was the examination of _suggestion of compromise_ that Eve failed. She told Satan from the very beginning of the temptation that a particular fruit in the garden was not to be eaten (Gen 3:1-3). But when the clue of compromise came that she will surely not die, but get wiser, that was what she couldn’t resist, and she fell (Gen 3:4-6).*
*5) Despite the challenges before Ruth and Naomi, Ruth fortified her conviction through those things she was told, that the God of Israel was a dependable God. No wonder she said to Mama Naomi :*
*Ruth 1: [16]…. Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:*
*[17]Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.*
*The emphasis of Ruth on God was too deep for a fellow with little or shallow knowledge about God to claim or stand on. Obviously, she never took casual the testimonies she heard about the God of Abraham.*
*6) Constantly guard your heart and mind. This is because there will always be frequent suggestions coming your way such that could render your position weak and compromised, there by breaking your resolve and conviction.*
*7) Finally, learn to think issues through and thoroughly before taking a stand. This is to allow for an informed action on your part : learn to examine all the angles to a matter before affirming your position. The depth of such thoughts will boost your conviction, and drive your faith forward. Most situations requiring our decisions are acted upon without an informed thinking through. In that situation, conviction will not be able to stand on anything.*
*My take is that if you pay attention to all the suggestions above very closely, you will be in a better position to operate on a firm and strong conviction as the basis of your life decisions and actions.*
Top of the day to you 👍.
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
