Guard Your Heart: Am I Tolerating Evil in My Home?
On February 17, 2026 by Anna De LayAbout a year ago, the Lord started to deal with me about things and behaviors I should no longer tolerate – not only as a peaceable, forgiving person (sometimes to a fault), but specifically as a mother and caretaker of my house and family.
And while I pondered these things, He also warned me about discerning a mixture in my home. Essentially, a mixture is a blend – a combination of different things. Spiritually speaking, it’s a blend of good and evil, which leads to confusion.
I was convicted to the core.
There had been quite a bit of chaos in my house, even to the point of feeling a spiritual attack over my family; and it was especially showing up in my young son’s behavior. As I prayed and asked the Lord to show me this mixture, some of the programs I was allowing my son to watch, as well as an online game he was playing came into question. I then realized that I had inadvertently allowed outside influences to distract, confuse, and mislead my child. His actions showed my negligence.
Truly, this did not happen on purpose. It happened because of my passivity. It was my tolerance of seemingly innocent, subtle behaviors that helped create a disorderly spiritual condition in my home.
You see, it usually isn’t a blatant evil that causes us to stumble or our little ones to be led astray. It’s the seemingly insignificant allowances we make in our daily lives. The Bible calls these “the little foxes that spoil the vines” (Song of Solomon 2:15) or the “little leaven” that “leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9).
It’s the small compromises: the careless hurtful words we let slip… the permitting of gossip and falsehood… the acceptance of demeaning behaviors because “that’s just how they are” – or better yet, “that’s how I am.” It’s the agreement with the world’s philosophies that remain untested by scripture.
We can see the results of such compromises in the letters to the 7 churches in the book of Revelation. I’ve been stewing on this fact: the majority of the leaders of these churches (5 out of 7) were either rebuked or commended by Jesus for the teachings they did or did not tolerate in their congregations.
Revelation 2:2
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars…”
Revelation 2:6
“But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
Revelation 2:14
“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel…”
Revelation 2:15
“Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
Revelation 2:20
“But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray…”
This tolerance of false teachings was affecting whole groups of people, not just the leaders in question. These pastors were allowing their sheep to be deceived, either by passivity or by blatant willingness. And Jesus would have no more of it.
It begs the questions:
- What, by our tolerances or omissions, are we permitting to erode our own spirits or to confuse the ones God has entrusted to us? What are we allowing our children to be taught or subjected to?
- Are we passive about sin? Or do we call it out? Do we compromise with evil thoughts, speech, or actions? Or do we confront it?
- Do we call our negligent passivity toward the questionable actions of others “grace”?
God did not create us to be silenced by sin and falsehood, nor to be doormats to destructive behaviors on account of our kindness or meekness. We must not confuse long suffering (even toward those we love) with cowardice.
We must be diligent to guard what we allow into our homes, not only for the sake of our own minds and hearts, but more so for the protection and guidance of our children. For we know that even a small erosion of conscience will eventually cause a greater eruption of chaos. As a mother and keeper of my home, this responsibility is now at the forefront of my mind on a daily basis.
A deeper look at the surrounding passages in Revelation reveal that most of the churches Jesus rebuked also had some good qualities. But it was their tolerance of sin that polluted the whole and would bring judgment if they did not repent. It was this confusing mixture that Jesus would no longer tolerate.
- What are we tolerating that we should be confronting?
We may not lead congregations as these seven leaders of ancient churches did; but in our homes, let us lead our children with spiritual eyes – rejecting bitterness, strife, idolatry, and any mixture that would cause confusion.
May we recognize and eradicate the tolerated blend of good and evil in our own lives and allow God to purge away the sin that erodes… and let us also have the courage to call out wickedness when we see it around us – rebuking in love, as Jesus did, when necessary.
What do you no longer tolerate in your home? I would love to know in the comments!
And if you enjoyed this post, please pass it along to someone else. Thank you for stopping by! ❤️
I am a wife, homeschool mom, musician, and songwriter; but most importantly, I am a daughter of the King. My heart’s desire is to draw closer to God and bring other people with me! Truly, there is no greater joy.
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