Dear Friends,
Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord or are you drifting away from Jesus? Have you lost your desire, zeal or fervor?
Some of us may find ourselves in a place of indifference about the things of God, where we just can’t seem to get enthusiastic about them. We are spiritually drifting, and invariably, when we drift we slacken and compromise. We allow other things to get in the way, to overshadow our need and desire for God. When we drift from Christ, we distance ourselves from the word of God and the living waters of the Holy Spirit.
We live in a culture where the extraneous and trivial are presented as meaningful and worthy of our attention. This is a problem if we want to maintain our spiritual zeal! We will develop misplaced priorities by focusing on less important things rather than on Christ. In Colossians 3:2, the apostle Paul exhorts us: Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
The dryness of those who drift is apparent. They lose their zeal and become spiritually feeble. If we are not allowing the Lord to direct our paths, we can be pulled very suddenly by the currents of this world, and the stronger the current, the faster we drift. We can unexpectedly discover that we have replaced Jesus with other loves. In 1 John 2:15 we are reminded … if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
If we love the Lord, we will have deep-seated awe, respect and affection for Him. We will not love the world or anything that is in the world. Jesus’ words caution us about things that can result in spiritual drifting. Jesus said …the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ~ Mark 4:19
Drifting from God can result in spiritual amnesia. A biblical example is Israel. Having experienced God’s miraculous deliverance from Egyptian captivity, the people crossed the Red Sea and entered the wilderness. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai, receiving the Commandments, the rebellious people had already forgotten the Lord’s mighty work and began worshipping a golden calf! Israel quickly drifted and easily plunged into idolatry. A safeguard against drifting is found in Hebrews 12:2: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…
We find further insights in Revelation 2:2-5:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who
claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not
grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.* Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the
things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Here, God commends the Ephesian church for their hard work, perseverance, and discernment - yet that wasn’t sufficient. The Lord was displeased with them for doing all these works outside of a relationship with Him! They had drifted from Christ and lost their “first love” (that is, the simplicity and zeal that marked their early love for Jesus).
There is a progression we frequently see among many believers: drifting, dryness and descent! The Ephesians had forsaken their first love (spiritual drifting and dryness). Jesus commanded them to remember the height from which they had fallen (spiritual descent). This happens when “the work of the Lord” becomes more important than “the Lord of the work.” We become too busy for God and neglect our time with Him. Drifting inevitably ensues as consequence. Paul warns of a great “falling away” in the last days. It will begin with a drifting church.
God told the Ephesians to remember the height from which they had fallen! The word “remember” in ancient Greek literature denoted a monument or memorial which would serve as a reminder to future generations of an important historical event. “Remember” is in the present active imperative, which means that Jesus expected the Ephesians to be continuously mindful of the wonderful things He had done among them, but also to remember that they had fallen from the great consuming love, zeal and spiritual fervor that burned within them at their newfound faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.
If we sow to satisfy our sinful nature, we should not be surprised to find ourselves feeling distant from God and less enthusiastic about what matters to Him. Galatians 6:7-8 tells us:
God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the
one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
As we drift, the voice of the Lord will grow fainter. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is speaking to the church!
Signs that you are drifting
- Worldliness – we’d rather be anywhere other than in church or in fellowship with other believers. We derive much greater joy from all that the world offers. Our Christianity is more of an “insurance policy” than a way of life.
- A loss of joy, peace, purpose and satisfaction; the glass is always half empty. We’ve lost sight of our blessings. Our dissatisfaction and discontent cause us to murmur and complain. We find fault with other believers, the church and even with God and His word.
- Our thoughts stray from the Lord, migrating toward the cares, worries, frustrations and demands of the world. This causes us to feel overwhelmed, driven and exhausted.
- Focusing on all the disappointments, failures and injustices we have experienced in life. Fixating on national and world news rather than the “Good News.”
The remedy - the way out of spiritual drifting and dryness:
- Remember the time you were saved, when the Lord touched your life with His love and forgiveness – healing your soul and transforming you. Remember how the Lord delivered you and gave you His Holy Spirit.
- Repent before God for drifting – for allowing the cares of this world and desire for other things rob us of our relationship with Him. He told us in His word that we can do nothing apart from Him. Why do we believe we can?
- Do the first works – that is, spend time in fellowship with God – making Him the very epicenter of our lives. Worship the Lord: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” ~ Psalm 100:4
- We must return to our first love. Love is about commitment. Moreover, in John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
- We must walk as Jesus walked. The Lord remained in fellowship with His Father – in prayer and in doing His will.
- Meditate on God’s Word day and night — those who make this a disciplined practice, prosper in whatever they do. (Psalm 1:2-3)
- Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. ~ James 4:8
- Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ~Romans 12:11
- Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire… ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
Enjoy this beautiful summer season!
Blessings to you and your families,
Pastor Paul
*In the NLT, verse 4 says, “You don’t love me or each other.”