Drifting

[Mrs. LPW]

Heard a guy on one of our local Christian radio stations tonight on my way to Sears. He was talking about drifting away from God. He said, it's easy to drift away from God because drifting requires no effort... it requires no energy.

But it's hard to stay on course, to stay in the middle of the stream. It requires effort and energy.

It was a thought provoking few minutes before I went in to spend my millions in Sears.

Any thoughts?

[drummerboy_dave]

Any thoughts?

Yep! What'd you buy me?

[simplyme]

Sounds true enough, drifting could also be called laziness., complacency, lack of direction, etc., it DOES take concentrated effort/intent to STAY the course.

[Mrs. LPW]

Any thoughts?

Yep! What'd you buy me?

Well I would have bought you one of those knives that never goes dull they wre pushing when I went thru the door but I bought one last year and it's all a dirty LIE

So aren't there any people out there who can add to this drifting thought? Preach to me.

[drummerboy_dave]

First, don't come here for your preachin'. Fun, yes; sometimes. Entertainment, yes. Preaching, no!

Second, the dj is right, so don't be slothful.

Lastly, I hope you told them knife pushers as much. :santathumb

[simplyme]

Well I would have bought you one of those knives that never goes dull they wre pushing when I went thru the door but I bought one last year and it's all a dirty LIE

So aren't there any people out there who can add to this drifting thought? Preach to me.

What!! am I NO ONE???
Certainly my comments weren't MUCH, not in the way of preachin, but I'm NOT a preacher! :D
per se

[nahkoe]

Heard a guy on one of our local Christian radio stations tonight on my way to Sears. He was talking about drifting away from God. He said, it's easy to drift away from God because drifting requires no effort... it requires no energy.

But it's hard to stay on course, to stay in the middle of the stream. It requires effort and energy.

It was a thought provoking few minutes before I went in to spend my millions in Sears.

Any thoughts?

While I agree with this idea, I've been pondering something a little different lately.

I'm finding it's easier to hang onto things on the shore than it is to push out into the middle of the current and let it carry me. It's pretty easy to get ahold of a tree branch or something again too even after letting go....

It definitely takes a conscious decision to live for God where drifting or slipping or finding oneself further from God than they were is pretty easy to do one way or another.

[simplyme]

OKAY I have a WONDERFUL analogy to add, (*cough *cough clearing throat)
yeah right :winkgrin

DRIFTING is one of my favorite televised sports!
YES, it IS a sport, one of which I was sorta coerced into watching, as a cuddly husb/wife sharing thingy. *rolleyes*
On the SPEED cable t.v. channel, (all to do with all forms of car/bike racing my husband LUVS it a 'man' needforspeed thing I guess) it is a form of racing downwards sorta, {but maybe not always on an incline} not really hitting pedl to the medal, so much as it is a combination of skills, having to do with downshifting/brake pedal/gas pedal something or other - I'm not savvy with, that makes the car more or less seem to "drift" as it keeps on speeding, and its soooo cool! *there are even women doing this* The car appears to be moving sideways.

I first heard of this watching some t.v. movie about it [Tokyo2]., with "VIn Diesel" making a cameo at the end; a popular movie that is like a sequel to 'Fast and Furious' with VinDiesel totally in it, I have to admit it was good.Interesting indeed.

NEway, LOL! Just teasin., all above is true however.
AND being as it WAS the first thing I thought about when I saw the thread title, my first posting on this, reflected the actual intent of the author..

carry on!

[Mrs. LPW]

Sorry Simply, didn't meant to ignore you altogether.. just got sidetracked at the thoughts of having to buy yet ANOTHER Christmas gift, when I thought I had all my shopping done!!!

Drifting could be caused by laziness.. in some cases it most likely is.
Maybe also tiredness?
Weariness?

So there is the danger of refusing to leave the shoreline... and then the danger of getting sucked out too far.

One could use this drifting analogy when discussing getting out into the deep things of God... and keeping balance so they don't go completely nutty.
Or one could use this when talking about soul winning... how we have to get out there, beyond our four walls but yet we have to be careful not to go back into sin ourselves.

Then there is just the plain thought that I think this preacher was addressing... being a Saint and not fighting the good fight every day, whether it be laziness or wearieness causing us too just let ourselves drift.. any way the wind blows.

[Michael Phelps]

Heard a guy on one of our local Christian radio stations tonight on my way to Sears. He was talking about drifting away from God. He said, it's easy to drift away from God because drifting requires no effort... it requires no energy.

But it's hard to stay on course, to stay in the middle of the stream. It requires effort and energy.

It was a thought provoking few minutes before I went in to spend my millions in Sears.

Any thoughts?

The second law of thermodynamics says, and I paraphrase, "Any system left to itself tends toward maximum disorder".

Just look at our physical bodies, our environment, etc. If we don't take care of things, and keep on top of things, those things don't get better on their own - it takes constant vigilance to make things better, and it only takes doing absolutely nothing for things to get worse.

[Mrs. LPW]

The second law of thermodynamics says, and I paraphrase, "Any system left to itself tends toward maximum disorder".

Just look at our physical bodies, our environment, etc. If we don't take care of things, and keep on top of things, those things don't get better on their own - it takes constant vigilance to make things better, and it only takes doing absolutely nothing for things to get worse.

And it would probably scare us if we knew the exact number of saints who do nothing...

[Bro-Larry]

When the things you do are initiated by, motivated by and empowered by the Holy Ghost, then you have entered into His rest. (Rom 4:10-11)

You are not drifting anymore

[simplyme]

Drifting off the narrow {spiritual} road can be quite dangerous.
Must steer back on course, full speed ahead!
:rudolph

[crakjak]

When the things you do are initiated by, motivated by and empowered by the Holy Ghost, then you have entered into His rest. (Rom 4:10-11)

You are not drifting anymore

This is very true, and if you are still striving, maybe you have not "entered into His rest". When we are truly His, we take on His yoke and His burden, and these are easy and light, according to Jesus himself. His righteousness needs to flow out of us naturally because of whose we are, easy and light. He has accepted us and given us His righteousness, it is a free gift.

Good night, BL

[pelathais]

Considering the omnipresence of God (Acts 17:27-28) I wonder how one could "drift away from God."

Taking your statement about "saints who do nothing" into consideration, I wonder if you might be asking about people who are not as involved in church activities as they once were? The "drifting" might be a consequence of people not finding any fruit or satisfaction in the church activities. Many times I've seen churches fall into a pattern of "busy work" where people's schedules are filled with meetings and duties but their lives are not being filled with anything meaningful.

Personally, I want to be a part of something that is "happening" and "alive." And not just "pretend," but something that has measurable results. When I find that I'm wasting my time by being "busy" filling a space in someone else's social network, then I fear that I may have been "drifting" all along.

[Barb]

And it would probably scare us if we knew the exact number of saints who do nothing...

Considering the omnipresence of God (Acts 17:27-28) I wonder how one could "drift away from God."

Taking your statement about "saints who do nothing" into consideration, I wonder if you might be asking about people who are not as involved in church activities as they once were? The "drifting" might be a consequence of people not finding any fruit or satisfaction in the church activities. Many times I've seen churches fall into a pattern of "busy work" where people's schedules are filled with meetings and duties but their lives are not being filled with anything meaningful.

Personally, I want to be a part of something that is "happening" and "alive." And not just "pretend," but something that has measurable results. When I find that I'm wasting my time by being "busy" filling a space in someone else's social network, then I fear that I may have been "drifting" all along.

While all of this is true, Pela, there is another angle, and, Mrs. L, laziness and complaceny may only be part of the problem.

One can be doing all of the necessary 'things'...church attendance, tithe, 'look' the part, even have a busy life of service, and yet have drifted on the inside...that place where true holiness abides, and begins.

Working out of habit or sense of duty, with no thought of true service in the Kingdom...not doing it for the sake of the call, but for the sake of applause or "what's in it for me?!"

These folk are yet in the building, but have drifted in their spirit.

When we have no regard for the Lord's Body...when we can injure and malign and feel no remorse...when we can altar the Word to fit our own selfish will and desire, it is a sure sign that we have head knowledge, but the Word has not penetrated the soul.

We have drifted and don't even know the difference.

The glory has departed because we have moved from our spiritual place...just my thoughts...

[Michael Phelps]

Considering the omnipresence of God (Acts 17:27-28) I wonder how one could "drift away from God."

Taking your statement about "saints who do nothing" into consideration, I wonder if you might be asking about people who are not as involved in church activities as they once were? The "drifting" might be a consequence of people not finding any fruit or satisfaction in the church activities. Many times I've seen churches fall into a pattern of "busy work" where people's schedules are filled with meetings and duties but their lives are not being filled with anything meaningful.

Personally, I want to be a part of something that is "happening" and "alive." And not just "pretend," but something that has measurable results. When I find that I'm wasting my time by being "busy" filling a space in someone else's social network, then I fear that I may have been "drifting" all along.

My comment had nothing to do with "churches", it was in reference to personal consecration, i.e., prayer, reading the word, acting on the word, etc.

[Coonskinner]

My comment had nothing to do with "churches", it was in reference to personal consecration, i.e., prayer, reading the word, acting on the word, etc.

If someone does those things, they are pretty likely to be involved in a local church, unless they are duped into the idea that the local assembly isn't important.

[Mrs. LPW]

This is very true, and if you are still striving, maybe you have not "entered into His rest". When we are truly His, we take on His yoke and His burden, and these are easy and light, according to Jesus himself. His righteousness needs to flow out of us naturally because of whose we are, easy and light. He has accepted us and given us His righteousness, it is a free gift.

Good night, BL

The thought pattern I had, and the one I believe this radio preacher was discussing, was not about "striving" but that we should beware of getting into this laid back, floating down the lazy river till heaven, mentality. And also, the drifting off in one direction or the other, away from the Lord and his Truth...

Anyone can "drift" or get off track. Lose sight of their purpose.
And anyone can get in the church and then sit, and let others do the paddling to keep the Kingdom of God moving forward... If we aren't doing our part to win the lost even... I see that has just drifting too.

[Mrs. LPW]

Considering the omnipresence of God (Acts 17:27-28) I wonder how one could "drift away from God."

Taking your statement about "saints who do nothing" into consideration, I wonder if you might be asking about people who are not as involved in church activities as they once were? The "drifting" might be a consequence of people not finding any fruit or satisfaction in the church activities. Many times I've seen churches fall into a pattern of "busy work" where people's schedules are filled with meetings and duties but their lives are not being filled with anything meaningful.

Personally, I want to be a part of something that is "happening" and "alive." And not just "pretend," but something that has measurable results. When I find that I'm wasting my time by being "busy" filling a space in someone else's social network, then I fear that I may have been "drifting" all along.

"difting away from God" is an anaology of how we lose sight of our first love and have to return to it sometimes. As with all analogy's it's just that... an analogy... and of course it's not perfect. One can pick a part ANY analogy.

When I was talking about people doing "nothing" I was thinking more along the lines of, non existant prayer lives, selfish living, etc.
I wasn't talking about bake sales and singing in the choir, or even teaching Sunday school... I firmly believe you can do all those things and not be gaining ground Spiritually... you can be doing all those things and not seeing the Kingdom of God moving forward in your city. You can even be doing all those things and not be right with God yourself on the inside.
And that is to in no way, negate the importance of doing such things for the Kingdom either... just that our walk with God is a daily thing... dying daily...

[pelathais]

My comment had nothing to do with "churches", it was in reference to personal consecration, i.e., prayer, reading the word, acting on the word, etc.
I didn't really have your statement under consideration... however, now that you bring it up... :)

I think churches can fall prey to the same things that beset individuals. You might have different complexies from place to place and from time to time, but I've seen the wind knocked out of a whole congregation with a single blow before.

The people then got despondent and and finally start to move on. The blame was then leveled at the "carnal saints," but if the saints were never empowered to do anything that brought change to the church I find it hard to blame them. People don't like feeling helpless for too long. If you can't change things where you are, then you need to change where you are.