Spiritual drift is something that we all battle from time to time, or maybe all the time! It’s the mentality that says, “I know I should, but I’m not doing that, or I know I shouldn’t, but I’m going to do it anyway.” Spiritual drift happens little by little, until one compromise of belief leads to another and another, and pretty soon you aren’t sure if what you’re doing is really wrong, or what you even believed to start with. The drift didn’t start with a decision, it started with a change of behavior, which over time led to a change of thinking. No one ever looks into the effect of affairs on families and relationships and then decides, “Yes, I believe I’ll have an affair. It just makes good sense.” Affairs start with an action, an action that is wrong. Repeating the action eventually leads to less guilt and less concern about the wrongdoing. The person develops a philosophy that supports or justifies the affair. People compromise their integrity in business in much the same way. It can happen in any area of life and it is gradual. People pull away from their church, their Christian friends, from all that makes them uncomfortable in their wrongness. If and when they wake up, they realize how far they have drifted from their beliefs, their faith, their values. The writer of Hebrews warns that we may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. It’s smoke and mirrors, pure trickery that makes something very wrong, look appealing, look right. When the smoke lifts and the mirrors are removed, we wonder how we could have been so guillible, so deceived.

Scriptures – Ephesians 3:10-11; Hebrews 3:12-14

Verses – See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

Thought – The good news is that we serve a God who is always loving and always forgiving. So, step one is repent, and return to what you know is true, to your beliefs, to your faith! And what is step two? “See to it, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:12) We are to look after each other! This happens in the church, in the community of faith, in the company of other believers who care for one another and help each other stay on track. How does this happen? Hebrews 3:13 says, “… encourage one another daily, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Really! Encouragement is key to avoiding the drift. We all need to be encouraged in our faith, encouraged and held accountable by those we are in close relationship with. Only by caring and sharing with others in community can we know and be known. In this atmosphere we find strength to hold fast, stay strong and “hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” (Hb 3:14) Do not walk alone. We will become weary on this journey through life, but hold on to your foundation.

Questions – Do you watch out for your fellow believers? Explain. Do you have others who watch out for you? Have you ever started down a bad path (spiritually) and had someone step in to help you? How does encouragement help you stay on track in life, and in your spiritual life? Are you an encourager to others in their faith walk? Explain.

Response – Focus on a couple of people who need your encouragement. Make a point of encouraging them in their faith.

Prayer – Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for those who have encouraged me in my faith during the good times and the difficult times. Help me to be an encourager, to be invested in watching out for my friends in Christ and helping them to hold to their faith. May I stay firmly anchored to you until the very end. In Jesus Name, amen.