[299 words]
Most Christians do not wake up one morning and suddenly decide to leave the Lord. Spiritual decline usually happens slowly. A missed prayer here, neglected Bible study there, worship becoming less important, sin becoming easier to excuse, and before long the heart has drifted farther than expected.
Hebrews 2:1 warns, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” Drifting is dangerous because it can happen quietly. A boat does not have to be powered away from the shore to become distant. It only has to stop being anchored.
That is why Christians must guard the heart. Hebrews 3:12–13 says, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” The passage then tells us to “exhort one another daily.”We need God’s Word, faithful worship, prayer, and the encouragement of other Christians to help keep our hearts strong.
The church at Ephesus had worked, endured, and rejected false teachers, yet Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). His instruction was clear: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (Revelation 2:5). Spiritual drifting can be stopped, but it must first be recognized.
Ask yourself: Is prayer becoming less important? Is Bible study becoming less frequent? Is worship easier to miss? Are sins being tolerated that once troubled you? Has your love for Christ grown weaker? Do not ignore the warning signs. Remember where you were. Repent where necessary. Return to faithful habits. Stay close to Christ, because drifting away rarely begins with a major decision. It often begins with small compromises that slowly move the heart away from God.
Jonathan Burns
Findlay church of Christ
Sparta, TN