Don't Decline

Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. Psalm 119:157

Can you say, with the psalmist, that you stay true in the face of persecution and temptation? This is a question we ought to ask ourselves often. Sometimes--often times--the easiest thing for us to do would be to just say, forget it. Compromising our integrity is infinitely easier than upholding it. There are far too many excuses that we can offer in an attempt to explain the sacrifice away, and on some levels we might actually be able to fool ourselves. But the truth is inescapable; eventually our conscience always catches on...and up, and we suffer. Guilt, shame, low self-worth, self-loathing, depression...our spirit's grieve the loss of innocence, the sacrifice of conscience to convenience. Giving in, backing down in the face of opposition...it's easy, but it comes at an immense cost.