The Prayer of Encouragement – Voices of Youths-Sunday
Deacon Arlene Burton presents The Prayer of Encouragement – Voices of Youths-Sunday. Deacon Burton owns the copyright to this post. We reprint here with her permission.
Hi Everyone, we are hoping that you are well but if not, please let us know by sending your prayer requests.
About a month ago the Lord showed me that I should take some younger persons alongside me in providing encouragement and prayer. Two of our young people agreed to do so on the third weekend of each month, for now. Today’s encouragement and prayer come to us from Romeo Elliott. He is the Vice President of Grace Youth Ministries and a first-year tertiary level education student. Please read, meditate and feel free to give a response, as you have been doing.
The Struggles of Being a Young Christian – Compromising
When you take a stand and decide to live your life for Jesus, it can be easy to wonder if it’s really worth it. You might ask yourself if you should just give in and compromise. Standing up for what’s right is hard, and you can begin to think that it’s not worth it. I know I’ve questioned it a lot. I’ve wondered if I’d have more friends and be happier if I’d just compromise my beliefs and live a little more like the world. It can be easy to feel that way, and it’s normal to question whether living for Jesus is worth it.
However, before you decide to compromise, think about the Bible verse found in Mathew 12:30. “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” Matthew 12:30 (NLT). This verse shows us that to God, there isn’t really room for compromising our faith. You’re either living for God or you’re working against Him. Even if you feel like compromising, think about this verse.
Compromise means that we settle or agree to give up or give in to what someone else wants. For the child of God, it could mean making decisions that conflict with our beliefs. We may also struggle to determine if there is a conflict, ignore the conflict or try to convince ourselves that nothing is wrong with it. Sometimes our peers influence our decisions. We may later feel guilty or try to be defensive of our actions.
The fact of life is that we may need to compromise. However, it is important for us to examine and assess what we are compromising. When you are required to compromise, it is important to spend time to meditate on whether or not you are living for or against the will of God. Then ask yourself “Am I compromising my walk with God by living according to the ways of the world instead of God’s principles and expectations? Do I try to convince myself that some short-term compromise is worth it? If you compromised in any shape or form, would you regret it 5 or 10 years from now?” It’s easy to feel like if you give in now, it would make things better. Over the long term will you regret compromising?
Compromising our beliefs usually isn’t worth it in the long run. If you stand for Christ, it might be hard today, but later in life, you won’t have regrets and wish you’d handled things differently. Choose today to stand up for truth. Stand up for what’s right and know that God will see you through.
Jesus understands what it’s like to be rejected for doing what’s right. Many of His followers abandoned or denied Him during His time of ministry on the earth. Yet even when people didn’t stand with Him for truth, Jesus still stood firm. He knew that He was here to do His father’s will and that was the most important thing.
Standing up to negative peer pressure isn’t easy, but it’s the right thing to do. In those moments when you’re discouraged, you can take comfort in the fact that Jesus understands what you’re going through. He went through similar things too. He understands and cares for you.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we thank You for loving and caring for us. We thank You for Your blessings that You continually give to us, even when we do not deserve it. We thank You for Your word.
Lord, we come in the name of Jesus Christ, asking that You have mercy on us. Lord, forgive all our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We pray, Lord Jesus, that as individuals, families, communities, churches, businesses, politicians and as a country, You will help us to live according to Your words and that we will live our lives in a way that pleases You. We pray, Lord that You direct us as we face challenging circumstances during these times. Help us not to compromise our beliefs and give in to temptation.
We ask, Lord, that You will strengthen us as leaders of our families, communities, churches, businesses, government, and our country as a whole. Make us bold to stand up for You even when no one else is willing to stand with us. Help us not to be ashamed to talk about You to persons with whom we come in contact. Lord, help us to always put You first in everything that we do, in Jesus name we pray with thanksgiving.
Amen.
Our Prayers of Encouragement are for everyone. Therefore, if you are also in need of prayer or comfort, please contact us with your request. We would be so very happy to share with you.
