Are you drifting? ∙∙∙

Are you drifting? ∙∙∙

For this reason, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away from it. – Hebrews 2:1

James 1:6-8

6 A person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Ephesians 4:14-18

14 Then, we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies that sound so clever that they sound like the truth.
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

17 With the Lord’s authority, I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

Riptides, also known as rip currents, are deceptively powerful streams of water that surge away from the shore after waves break. These perilous currents can catch even the most vigilant beachgoer off guard, pulling them swiftly out into deeper waters. Each year in the United States, more than 100 lives are tragically lost to riptides. While weaker swimmers are at greater risk, it’s important to note that even the strongest swimmers are not exempt from their dangers. No one is immune.

A day at the beach often symbolizes joy, relaxation, and the timeless rhythm of waves meeting the shore. Many of us cherish moments spent in the surf, but the sea, captivating as it is, carries hidden risks. Drifting can happen in a heartbeat. One moment, you’re firmly rooted in the sand beneath your feet, and the next, the current subtly pulls you away. Before you know it, you’re farther from the shore than you intended—perhaps too far. Suddenly, the ocean doesn’t feel as welcoming. It feels dangerous. And in the pull of a riptide, the peril of drowning becomes all too real.

This natural phenomenon mirrors a sobering truth in our spiritual lives. When we fail to anchor ourselves on the solid foundation of God’s Word and the sound doctrine it offers, we become vulnerable to spiritual drifting. James and Paul caution us about this, likening our lives to being tossed about by turbulent winds—easily swayed, easily lost. Immaturity in faith or lingering doubts leave us prone to deceptive voices and fleeting promises that lure us away from the unwavering love of the Lord Jesus Christ, our first love.

The troubling thing about drifting is its subtlety. It often goes unnoticed until we are far from where we began. Spiritual drifting is no different. At first, the changes seem small, almost imperceptible—a lingering unforgiven offense here, a bit of undealt with anger or resentment there. But over time, bit by bit, we can find ourselves adrift, far from the heart of God. Thankfully, our Father is not a passive observer of our wandering. He is merciful, and in His kindness, He sends wake-up calls to stir us from our spiritual slumber. Like a lifeguard who scans the waters for danger, He calls out to us, opening our eyes to how far we’ve drifted and urging us to come back.

Returning to Him takes effort, focus, and humility. It may feel exhausting, like swimming against a relentless current, but it is always worth it. And for those who lack the strength or the confidence to return on their own, there is hope. Our God is not only a Redeemer but a rescuer ready to pull us out of the waters when we call upon Him. He places our feet once again on solid ground, where we are meant to stand—secure in His truth and love.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father urges us to give earnest attention to what we have learned, what we believe, and where we place our confidence. We are called to stand firm on the foundation of His Word and do nothing less.

Father, it is so easy to drift. I find myself asking, “Am I drifting?” Please encourage me to stay vigilant and to keep my feet rooted firmly in the foundation of Your Word. I long to live it out faithfully. Enable me to do so by Your strength and grace.

INSIGHT

Drifting often begins with small decisions to neglect what is right rather than open rebellion. This neglect can then escalate into knowingly doing what is wrong. Most children of the King don’t deliberately throw themselves into spiritual chaos. Yet, many find themselves drifting, caught in subtle currents that pull them away. Spiritual drifting parallels the danger of being caught in a rip current. These unseen forces tug quietly at our hearts, posing a silent but real threat to any child of the King.

Two nautical terms shed light on this metaphor of drifting. The first, translated as drift, comes from the Greek word pararrein. Pararrein carries many meanings. It can describe a “ring slipping off a finger,” “food lodging in the wrong passage,” “a point being missed in conversation,” or “a fact quietly slipping from memory.” “It conveys the idea of something slowly leaking, ebbing, or slipping away—something lost through inattention. Drifting doesn’t result from blatant disobedience is born of carelessness” (Barclay).

Drifting doesn’t often result from blatant disobedience; instead, it’s born of carelessness. A modern way to express it would be “falling asleep at the wheel.”

The second term, prosechein, means to “bring a boat to port.” It paints the picture of “a ship securely tied and held steady,” symbolizing attentiveness. It came to mean “paying close attention, staying alert, and carefully watching.”

When a boat’s pilot falls asleep or loses focus, the vessel begins to drift—sometimes toward destruction. As Barclay notes, “There are few people who, deliberately and in a moment, turn their backs on God; there are many who day by day drift further and further away from Him. There are not many who in one moment of time commit some disastrous sin.” Instead, it often happens gradually. Without realizing it, they find themselves far from the safety of God’s presence, awoken only by peril.

One ancient Christian symbol is that of a ship—a fitting emblem for the children of the King navigating life’s unpredictable and often stormy waters. For the early Jews for Jesus, to whom the book of Hebrews was written, this image carried immense meaning. They faced relentless persecution, like a ship battered by towering waves, its crew struggling to stay afloat.

Pause for a moment and picture a ship whose anchor has slipped loose from the seafloor. Without this critical tether, it begins to drift unnoticed—dangerously close to unseen reefs. The early Jews for Jesus, weary from opposition and persecution, found themselves similarly drifting. Many became careless in their commitment to anchor themselves to Christ. While this neglect may have gone unnoticed during calmer times, the storms of suffering revealed their vulnerability, drawing them closer to spiritual shipwreck by tempting them to revert to former Jewish beliefs.

What the early church experienced resonates with us today. Drifting remains a prevailing spiritual danger. It often happens not through outright rejection but by failing to tend to our connection with Christ. Slowly, without resistance, we drift. At first, the departure may seem insignificant; the changes appear too small to matter. But when the challenges of life come, we realize how far we’ve wandered. As the spiritual tides pull us further from Christ, His presence fades from view.

C.S. Lewis once observed, “If you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?”

The solution is straightforward but not easy—stay awake, stay vigilant against the peril of drifting, and resist the currents of carelessness. We must focus deliberately on the sound doctrine we’ve received and cling tightly to the Word of God and its promises. When the currents of this world begin to pull, as they surely will, you’ll find that He is an anchor that never fails.

Are you drifting?

¯_(ツ)_/¯6-11-3

© Dr. H 2025