Your email address will not be published. Share He wants you to have a full and abundant life! Holy living is a community project. During the past couple decades that I have served as a pastor, I have often watched Satan using his weapon of discouragement to drag people away from spiritual activities. Judgmental Attitudes Definitely Hinder Growing Spiritually. Reason why the boat club on Awolowo Road in Ikoyi on Sunday mornings is so filled with cars packed by the rich who have got boating on the lagoon.Satan wants us to be prosperous, because our prosperity and abundance often lure us away from our Creator. While work is a typical and necessary part of a persons every day, when work becomes your main focus, it can distract you from God and cause you to lose focus of other things far more important in life. Why You Might Not Be Aware of Gods Presence, How to Find Answers to Problems and Worries, Teaching for Spiritual Growth is Possible, 7 Things to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life, https://dr-cynthia-johnson-deeper-walk-ministries.ck.page/1aef657c08, Learn how to enjoy Gods presence of peace, love, and joy. If you have, you know how difficult it can be. Matt 13:18 "Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and . When the trials of life cause a person to become discouraged, he often begins focusing on those problems and takes his eyes off of Christ. When they broke its bonds, it freely slid back into the ocean where it could eat, live, and grow unrestrictedly. You want your church to grow for your names sake, not the kingdoms. If you desire to walk closely with God, you will absolutely, necessarily have to begin by taking a close look at your calendar. Most importantly, God is cheering for you! The poor seal was stuck at 125 pounds when it should have been 350 pounds. One day the wife jumped in the boat and launched out into the water to just lie back and soak in some sunshine. You need the church. This article originally appeared on ChurchAndCulture.org and is reposted here by permission. 5. Chris passion is to mix solid theology with practical application every time he writes or teaches. And those sins will almost certainly affect your spiritual vision. We so often sacrifice the best things in. I have seen it many more times than I can number. NOT! He wants to communicate with you on a deep level. It can also been seen in the quality or absence of the time you spend with your family and love ones. That brief description alone is enough to send chills down the spines of many. Good article for spiritual direction and how to avoid spiritual drift. People struggle, God blesses them, they become prosperous, and then they depart from God. Sometimes this attitude can creep into our minds ever so subtly and can have deep roots. 1. You dont feel compelled to pray before engaging in making decisions, preparing or delivering a talk, leading a team or counseling an individual. I pray for the one that agrees this moment with this prayer that you will BREAK the bonds that hold them captive, now, in Jesus Name. Many people begin to drift away from God, because they have sins in their lives that cause them to feel guilt when they show up at church. Thank you so much Linda for your comments! You need the church because you need the means of grace: the preached word, prayer, and the sacraments. Ive seen a number of common errors that Christians make in this area. Now is the time to return. As Christians, we must be careful what we are giving our attention to. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen good people lured away from church life because they have fallen in love with things or activities that have no eternal merit. They were both restricted, hindered, and choked. We need to have the chokeholds broken from our necks and receive the living water and fresh Word that nourishes our souls. Your previous content has been restored. Labradorite: helps you to connect with your spiritual team and Source energy. Christians who disobey 2 Peter 1:5-11 and do not apply themselves with all diligence drift into grave peril. Focusing on behavior to the neglect of the heart. Neglecting the Spirits ministry is a sure recipe for stunted spiritual growth. That did not turn out well, because he was soon in need of being rescued as well!Fortunately the lifeguard was doing his job well that day, and he was successful in rescuing the husband and the wife. Report, October 28 2014 The key is to confess your sin to God who will restore you and make you whole again (1 John 1:9)!How have you done in your journey with God over the past year or the past few months? Now is the time to return. 85:4-7). Dear Lord, I ask you to help this reader find freedom from all the things that hinder spiritual growth. Our appetites are the passions that we have within our flesh, contrary to the spirit, craving and battling to be satisfied. Was Saddleback church kicked out of the SBC? One of the most important areas of theology is sanctification: the doctrine that concerns our consecration to God, the restoration and renewal of Gods image within us, and our practical progress in holiness. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; (Romans 2:1) also (Matthew 7:1-5). It is important for you to know that when lifes clouds grow dark and your trials become fierce, that is the time to run TO Jesus and not FROM Him.4) AbundanceWe in this country and maybe in yours too as you read this are so fat with our own prosperity that we often make wealth our god and not the true King of heaven. Theres a growing loss of conviction on matters of integrity. First, our desire has a great deal to do with whether we will grow into spiritual maturity or not. We raise our heads and suddenly realize that we're a mile away from land. This is also the focus of Colossians 3, where all Pauls commands (imperatives) rest on the realities (indicatives) that we are already dead, raised, and hidden with Christ. Since we have encountered such a great salvation, we must be careful not to drift away from it. Do not love the world or the things in the world. 3:16), and reproduces the character of Christ in us (Gal. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. We get another email from a ministry asking us for money. We're not actively running away, just slowly drifting along with the lazy, warm, comfortable current of the world. You can be planted like strong trees along the riverbank, bear abundant fruit, and be prosperous in all things you do! When he realized her predicament, he immediately attempted to swim out to rescue her. Barna Group, a Christian research company, published findings that show one of the six reasons young people are leaving the church is because it's unfriendly to doubters. Explore. God will bring the right relationships into your life. Only one person on the shore seemed to hear her call, and that was her husband. Spend little or no time fellowshipping with other followers of Jesus. But it underscores the absolute sufficiency of Gods word for training us in righteousness (2 Tim. Your ministry and home should not conflict at any time no matter what.3) DiscouragementDuring the past five and the half years that I have served as the secretary of the Mens Missionary Union (MMU), of my church, I have often watched Satan using his weapon of discouragement to drag people away from spiritual activities. We so often sacrifice the best things in life by spending time doing things that are just pretty good. 7 things that cause us to drift spiritually Worry about the past or present is the symptom; calm attention to .staffing sites. I pray God continues to bless your walk with Him! Thanks for Reading! No, people tend to drift into such things. By the time he was able to get to the wife in the raft, they were nearly a half mile from the shore. Sometimes an emphasis on the Spirit has led believers to spiritual passivity the old let go and let God approach. He 2:1-4 a. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen good people lured away from church life because they have fallen in love with things or activities that have no eternal merit. He is simply waiting for you to grow up into them and break the things that hinder spiritual growth! 2. Here are seven things that may be causing him to drift. What does not stifling the Holy Spirit mean? 5 Things That Can Cause Us to Drift Spiritually Chris Russell Pastor, Veritas Church 2019 17 Mar Several years ago a friend of mine took his wife and kids to the ocean for a week of R&R. While. For example, have you ever judged someones appearance? Now is the time to return. The video showed an eye surgeon removing a parasite from a human eye. Sign #3: A Tendency to Slow Down and Reflect Back. Ten Spiritual Awakening Signs. (Gal. And Pauls writings indicate that the primary ways we do this are through the word and prayer (study, for example, the parallels between Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18-20, and Pauls many references to the Spirit in his prayers). Sign up to receive inspiring articles in your email inbox at www.drcynthiajohnson.com. Do not love the world or the things in the world. Salem Media Group. Adopt new hobbies, interests, and beliefs simply because they're the latest "spiritual" fad. Info. The verdict is in: not guilty., There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The solution here is not to run/drift from God. Have you drifted? But if those sports begin to adversely affect the spiritual involvement and development of your family, then pull the plug immediately or a MOG who follows up religiously on his church activities and programs forgetting to concentrate on his home will soon see himself drifting away from God even though he is active for Him because you can effectively have a good relationship with God when your home is not in order. The chances are great that you probably do not feel like you are prosperous. People struggle, God blesses them, they become prosperous, and then they depart from God. The cares of life, the love of money, the lull of entertainment, and other desires of this world fill our soul with clutter. Vote Up I used to have a habit of looking at each situation negatively and thinking it was too hard. As I have thought about that experience over the years, it has often made me think about how Christians often drift away from the Lord spiritually. So, here are seven things that make us weary in well doing: 1. (Matthew 10:910), How is Christ the "atoning sacrifice"? This experience changed my life! A new exhibit called "The Mystery Man" gives heartbreaking details about Jesus' crucifixion in a new hyper-realistic model. You may have to take small steps forward at first. Doing ministry becomes an accepted substitute for actual time spent with God. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. Keeping Your Spiritual Passion Alive. If you are looking for the article 7 Things That Hinder Seeing Myself Like God Sees Me click here. Here's what churches with a missional focus do well. Youve started cutting corners and you dont care or arent particularly bothered by it. I really didnt plan to write all of this, but hopefully someone who is resisting will yield. Here are seven things that may be causing you to drift off course from God. But the reality is that nearly all Americans are extremely blessed and have more abundance than the vast majority of the population of the planet. Vote Up Are you spiritually distracted? Sign #4: A Shift in Priorities and Values. Technology helps advance the purpose of the church in significant ways. The figure suggested is that of a boat. Neglecting the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Yes, this means you. A few days ago, I looked back through some journal entries and saw how my thinking has changed over the years. You cannot paste images directly. Sanctification depends on justification, not the other way around. You can post now and register later. I have seen it many more times than I can number. If you are an American, you are most likely already a One-Percenter (wealthier than 99% of the worlds population). The cares and concerns of this world are great temptations that can lead us away from Christ. American Institute Health Care Professionals's insight: 5 Things That Can Cause Us to Drift Spiritually. Many of us dont try to understand where other people come from. Looking to your sanctification for your justification. While obeying Gods commands does not justify us, obedience is an essential part of sanctification. Have you drifted? Learn how to grow your faith, grow in hearing God's voice, and experience His presence more intimately. Im blessed with your message.may God help you to acquire more wisdom and straight to do his work Amen. The good news is you can be a successful person! Give them abundant grace, mercy, and strength to honestly face any places that are hindering their spiritual and emotional growth. For more on this, read How to Have a Happier Life by Practicing Gratitude. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. 5:22-23). Vote Up Sometimes in life, things choke and hinder our personal spiritual growth. Mission drift may be a good thing if understood from an angle of transformation or reorientation of the organisation, providing a broadening of a mission without sacrificing the original intent . We all have a deep need to feel that we belong. I watched a television show yesterday that showed technicians rescuing a seal that had a fishing line caught around its neck. Have you drifted? Its about building their name, their platform, their brand. They have lost any sense of a kingdom mentality. Posted: Apr 2, 2021 1:00 pm. The Surprising Secret to an Intimate Friendship With God, 3. 16. Clarify 3. And it is also likely that your overly hectic schedule is affecting your relationship with God. For example, childrens sports can certainly be a thrilling activity for your kids to pursue. Whenever you become more focused on yourself than on God, you separate yourself from Him and drift spiritually, letting the ego run the showchoosing your understanding over God and His love for you. If you are chronically fearful or discouraged, you start to choose your problems over God and second guessing anything good as troubled or flawed. What does this mean for us? Check it Out on Amazon! Then share your situation with someone you can trust to help whois outside the situation. When you find yourself bored with the Bible or feeling like it's not important, you are drifting from the gospel. But take a step of faith, then do the next step, then the next step, then the next. For you to understand this story just think of nyago namuna in Victoria or Limbe today and you and your family are by the beach and there is need for a rescuer. 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