Numbers 33:55 55But if you do not drive out the people of the country, those you let to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will be a trouble unto you in the place where ye dwell.
So Moses warned the Children of Israel. He informed them they had to remove all the people living in the country God had given to them. We know from archeology that the people who lived there had some pretty terrible religions that included burning of live babies and obscene sexual fertility practices. God was forming a nation to represent Him at the crossroads of the world. If the impression of the world was mingled with evil then the message would be muddled and ambiguous.
Alas they did not live to see the will of God fulfilled in this situation. That was a pain for them. It was tempting to absorb the false faiths of these peoples into Judaism. When capturing the Promised Land it was easier to leave those parts which were the most difficult to conquer. It was tougher for future generations to accept the children of those folks.
That principle lives on today. If we are aware of the difficult issues in our lives and we deal with them, we will save ourselves and our children problems in the future. If we compromise and do not let the Lord take full control of our hearts, then our children and we will suffer the price later. If the Lord shows you a part of your heart that is not surrendered, don’t compromise. So suck it up. Make It His You can rationalize anything you want but you and your kids will pay the price. That thing will be a thorn in your eye, in the way you see the world. They will be thorns in your sides to make you move in ways you would not otherwise.
Think: They will disturb you in the land where ye dwell. Now fix it.
