Monday, February 17, 2014

Are You Drifting?



Do find yourself drifting away from what you know is right?

Do see you all the warning signs and not doing a thing about it?

Here is a thoughtful quote my friend, Pamela Leding, shared recently that will make us think twice:



"People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. 

We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; 

we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; 

we drift toward superstition and call it faith. 

We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation;

we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; 

we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated."


                                                                -D.A. Carson 




And then a wonderful reminder and exhortation from the Scriptures:



"For this very reason, make (every effort) to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.


For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they (keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."       

 - 2 Peter 1:5-15




In this journey we truly need Christ and His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.



Are you drifting today? 

How can we pray for you?  

Feel free to leave a comment to be put on our prayer list!













29 comments:

Anonymous said...

My husband and I have been through some difficult times as a couple, my family has turned their back on me because I choose to forgive him. During family birthdays, holidays and vacations my kids, my husband and I are no longer included. It is hard for me to keep my heart and my arms open waiting for them to come back. The pain of being on the outside when you were once like the Walton’s is too much at times. I struggle with shutting out my husband ( I blame him for doing this to us…..I know it is their fault but anger gets the better of me) and wanting to stop exposing my family to watching their mom get hurt again and again.

Unknown said...

This is so good. Thank you for sharing it.

Cheree @ The Morning Latte said...

Excellent post, excellent quote by D.A. Carson--soooo relevant to our world today!

Raggedy Cottage Garden said...

We live in a world of moral and spiritual chaos.

Surrogate mothers raped from giving love to a child in the womb, polygamy and forms of it, day-care parenting, materialism and more. We need Christ more today than ever before.

Pray I could start up a local womanhood group that encourages women to think clearly and think biblical.

Bambi said...

That D.A. Carson quote is one of my favorites!

Susan said...

I recently saw someone who I truly thought was saved "drift away" now saying she doesn't believe the Bible is true and many other terrible things that truly hurt me to see occurring in her life and how it is effecting her children, so now I think that perhaps she never was... However if she is saved (but diverted by the devil, perhaps this is possible?), the Lord will bring her around back on the right path.

Understanding legalism can be an issue for many Christians especially in these times.

I believe that legalism is trying to force others what you are convicted for yourself, while simultaneously neglecting to do that which you are trying to convict others that they should do.

We each know what the Lord is convicting us (ourselves) of, and it is the Lord who will see to it that His own will grow in His likeness. And to others we are to extend the love and grace and forgiveness that is extended to ourselves, through the blood of Christ and through His Spirit.

Cindy aka spinnythingy said...

This is so timely- thank you!

Anonymous said...

so sorry you are going through that. Sometimes it takes other people time to come around. Will be praying for you

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Your welcome, Sarah Mae! <3

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

I agree!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Praying for you, Laura!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Definition of LEGALISM

: strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code.

Yes, we don't want any of that! Just give me Jesus! :)

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Your welcome--thanks so much for visiting!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

I think it is a new favorite for me too!

Sara said...

I would like to be on your prayer list, as I struggle to live my faith sometimes. I feel like my prayers are empty and I am going through the motions. I don't fully understand how to love God, but I want to.

Renee said...

Thank you for this post. Definitely could use prayers. Have been enduring battles that are making me weary.

Anonymous said...

I am drifting further and further away. my heart is full of anger and hate and the more I think of it the more I tell myself I deserve to be like this because I have been hurt, am in pain and I feel forgotten by God. At this point I can honestly say the person who turned me into this nightmare of a woman is the one person I wouldn't care if anything bad happened to. Matter of fact, I think it would be pay back for me. He is the man who promised me forever, the man who made me touch love with my hands, the man who turned my life into a beautiful blossoming flower, the man who licked my tears, who brought back the meaning of prayer back in my life, the man who found me and accepted me just like I was, a lost unhappy soul. The man who made me want to have a relationship with God, and that I now do. But he is the same man who has killed me, killed my soul, torn my heart into pieces and left it for the dogs to eat. The only man I ever brought home to my family and he promised infront of my grandmother that we would be together forever.......a man I gave my all too and now with a son, he just left and is with another older woman. A woman he gives the right to call and email me to insult me whenever she feels fit. I cannot even call him on his cellphone to discuss anything about our son, she is the one who picks up. 2013 is one year I want to forget, and now 2014 seems the drama is not over yet. I have let go but the remnants of what was is worse than I can explain. Praying for true forgiveness from the heart, for God to take it all away.

Anonymous said...

I know your pain. If you did what the Lord asked you to do, TRUST Him, and leave all the consequences to Him. Use this time to draw closer to Him. The more you lean on Him, the more you will feel never alone :) and that is the most wonderful feeling. I never feel alone anymore. I talk to Him all day. I'll take HIm to the grocery store with me... I love opening the door and letting Him in the car. Your family is watching what you do I can assure you. The more you become like Christ the more their hearts will be softened. God Bless You...and Keep you . I love you my sister in Christ :)

Unknown said...

Dear sister, you MUST remember that we wrestle not with flesh and blood. Your enemy is not your ex, nor the woman he choses to be with. Your enemy is satan, and he comes to steel, kill, and destroy. I tell you this because I too have gone through a divorce, my ex husband and I have six children, and he was also a Pastor. I know the pain sister. But I'm here to tell you, that God can and will bring you through this, but only if you surrender your pain to Him, by prayer, worship, and especially reading and standing on His promises. I will be in prayer for you and your dear son. To God be the glory ~

Anonymous said...

Shortly after posting my story and pain I could feel your prayers. Although I was not included in “the family” celebration my sister accepted a dinner invitation to my home. I just hope that I can stay strong and not be bitter! It is such a battle for me…..(I used to really enjoy revenge….or teaching others a lesson) Now I realize that’s not my job! Please continue to send prayers my way! Thank you all!

Anonymous said...

Yes Sister, I understand. I too have lost my relationship with my family over my husband. It is so hard, because we were all so close. However, I am learning to let the Most High bemy comfort. Not family, not friends, and not my husband. It helps immensely.

Anonymous said...

I have lost my way. I can't seem to stay in church and I no longer make an effort. I go to church for a week or a month then stay gone for a year. I'm not understanding why my child is special needs and I'm angry. I love God and I believe in Jesus but having a hard time. Please pray for me. Mrs. Stevenson

Anonymous said...

Please pray for me, My husband and I have separated because of something horrible he did. I truly have forgiven him, but I am not sure I can continue in our marriage. Please pray that the Lord guides my thoughts and that I don't make the wrong decision.

Anonymous said...

Yes I'm going through transition that I don,the understand ,I need prayer and for marriage and my five children and grandchildren

Anonymous said...

Our pastor advised us, in our premarital counseling, to look at our relationship as a triangle. God is at the apex and each of us are on one of the two corners of the base. As each of us move closer to God, we will be moving closer to each other. It's been good advice for 41 years.

Anonymous said...

I drifted away and compromised because I was desperate for relationship, companionship... now I feel stuck because I'm pregnant to a guy I'm not sure I want to be with and feel I've let down the Christian community. I'm not sure what to do.

Lynda said...

I understand exactly how you feel. I am now back with my ex-husband after 18 years and we love each other dearly. My daughter and son feel that I've made a huge mistake, and they are not prepared to forgive him. (He's not their father, who is an alcoholic). We can only pray and leave God to open doors, heal broken hearts, work on unforgiveness and bring about the unity we so badly want in our families.

Lynda said...

I was angry with God for many years. I'm an incest survivor and my father was a violent, horrible man. God gives us dominion over our children, literally the power of life and death, and we will answer to Him for everything we do and fail to do for and to them. He cannot take back what He has given. Once I realised that I stopped being 'damaged goods' and started being me, the person who had to live the live I have, and I found Jesus again. I love Him with all my heart and soul. I know a lot of the misery we live with, we make ourselves (single mom,kid's dad alcoholic) but He never leaves us- we leave Him. Find your way back by admitting your own error, not being defensive, and falling on His grace. He will answer. I know.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, very well said.

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