Drift: Where Is Your Relationship with God Heading?

I was thinking about drift today. Like many, I find influence in my thinking and life out of conferences I have attended and books I have read. One of those influences is Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King. Of the seven realities shared there one that stands out is this one:

God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God (1990), p. 43

None of us can depend on past revelation. All of us need a fresh encounter (to quote a title of another Blackaby book). Like all relationships, the lack of freshness can lead to relational drift. But God is not the one who moves away.

Drift happens in relationships when no attention is given. Drift can even happen when no conversation occurs beyond the superficial. For the disciple seeking God, that can happen when reading the Bible without really listening and personally applying. Drift can happen when praying my list without focusing on the person of God.

Drift does not seem alarming at first. The distance is not yet noticeable. But when the tide keeps pushing you farther out to sea, the difficulty of recovering the distance you have traveled can become difficult or insurmountable. Notice early. Notice often. Look for signs of drift. Address them.

What are you doing to keep your relationship with Him fresh, real, and personal? Good habits of prayer, Bible study, memorization, and spiritual disciplines can help. Varying those habits occasionally can help keep the communication with God more personal. Conversational accountability with a friend can also provide more intentionality. Seek Him daily. Be a disciple. Make disciples!

Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash

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