6 Strategies to Help Avoid the Danger of Drifting

Are you drifting in your spiritual life? Warning! There could be forces at work you are not aware of!

Photo Credit: tquist24 Flickr via Compfight cc

There’s a Rip Tide!

I remember the first time I went to the beach. I was about 11 years old and was there with my family. We lived far from the ocean so this was a new experience for all of us kids.
Before we headed to the water, our Uncle Roy warned us about the rip current that was present that day. This current would pull us out into the ocean if we were not careful. So we headed out into the surf! We rushed into the huge waves. They crashed over our heads and knocked us down. Then the rip tide tried to pull us out to sea.
I continued to remember the dangers that were present and made sure that the waves and the tide did not cause me to be washed out to sea. After spending much time in the waves, I looked up toward the beach. I was immediately alarmed. I couldn’t see any of the people I had come to the beach with! The beach was full of people but not my people. Finally, I spotted them about 50 yards up the beach. What happened?
I was aware of the waves and the rip tide but didn’t realize that in addition to this there was an ocean current that ran parallel to the beach that had slowly moved me down the beach away from my family. I was drifting away without being aware of it.

Watch out for the current!

This is frequently what happens to people in their spiritual lives. There are great dangers; gross immorality; clear evil and sin all around us. We remain vigilant against all these things but underneath there is a subtle current that causes drifting without us being aware of it.  Before long, if we look around, we find that we aren’t really where we are supposed to be.

How do we guard against the subtle drifting?

Here are six strategies you need to employ to keep the drift from carrying you away!

1. Constantly keep looking up. Just as I could have saved myself some anxiety and fear by looking up continually to spot my family, so should we be intentionally looking to Jesus to make sure we are not drifting. Daily align your self with God through Bible reading and prayer. Then, throughout the day, talk to Jesus.
2. Stay with the group. Looking up together and staying with each other will strengthen everyone and keep us all on track. If you stay with the group and everyone together keeps looking up, drift will be quickly corrected.
3. Share the fun. Pass on the joy you have in following Jesus. Be sure to enjoy yourself as you follow, even in the wild waves and rip tides. Then when you pass on the joy, fully aware of all the dangers – high waves, rip current and cross current – you strengthen yourself against them.
4. Stay vigilant. It is when we become complacent to the subtle that we get in trouble. By continually watching as Jesus told us, we can spot drift immediately and take action to get back on track.
5. Be consistent. Consistently do all the things you need to do to grow and follow Jesus. Consistency will strengthen you against all the forces that try to sidetrack you.
6. Get help. Following Jesus is a group activity. Notice that when Jesus was on earth his disciples were with him – as a group. There was no solo activity. Even when Jesus sent them out, they went two by two. We all need help in this life. So get help when you need it and don’t be ashamed to admit it.

There are six strategies for you to employ. Which one do you need the most right now? I want to challenge and encourage you to grab ahold of it and intentionally employ it right now!

You can be strong in your spiritual life no matter what is happening to you so be encouraged. Encourage others today by passing this post along to your friends and family. If you have questions, you can always ask me!