What happens when we drift away from God? Here’s an example. We used to live near the Pacific coast and there was a nearby beach that had a nice hotel that overlooked the ocean. If you would go to this beach today you would not see any trace of the hotel because over time, the beach eroded which destroyed the hotel. Erosion is dangerous because it can be so slow that it is almost undetectable.
This also happens when we drift away from God. It is usually not our intention to drift away from the Lord, but if we are not diligent this can happen. Perhaps you have drifted away from the Lord, but today the Lord is awakening you and drawing you back to Himself.
God Responds to the Israelites Drifting Away from Him
As chapter thirteen of the book of Judges unfolds it gives us a glimpse of the spiritual condition of the Israelites. Judges 13:1Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.[1] The Israelites had drifted away from the Lord but, in His mercy, He would use the oppression of the Philistines to draw them back to Him. God used a drastic way, oppression by enemies, to get His people’s attention.
Just as a parent must intervene to correct a child, God Himself intervened to correct the nation of Israel. In the book of Judges there is a pattern which is repeated. The nation of Israel would drift away from God, God would allow them to be oppressed by their enemies until they prayed for help. Then God would send a leader to overcome their enemies and Israel would again serve God.
God Responds to Us When We Drift Away from Him
The Lord often uses our own circumstances to get our attention and draw us into a closer relationship with Him. When things in life go well, we tend to forget about God, but when life’s storms batter our life, it awakens our need and desperation for the Lord. The Psalms are filled with stories of people crying out to the Lord in desperation.
Desperation –
- Resets our priorities
- Shows us we are not in control, God is.
- Softens our hearts to allow God to enter
- Opens the way for restoration
Desperation can have many causes, but the Lord can use any circumstance to draw us closer to Him. Is the Holy Spirit is showing you today that you have drifted away from the Lord? Are you where you need to be spiritually? The good news it is never too late to turn from your sins and be forgiven by the Lord. The Lord is bringing correction because He wants you to fulfill the plan He has for you.
To hear more about what happens when we drift away from God, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-samson
[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Jdg 13:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.