Slow fade
One of the hardest things as a Christian is to watch another Christian slowly walk away from their faith. I have always wondered how a person could go from being on fire for the Lord to not serving Him at all.
Do you know someone like this? Maybe this has even happened to you.
Many times, difficulties in life become too much to bear, so we just throw in the towel. We blame God for bad things in our life. We get offended at the church or someone in the church. So we find it easier to walk away than to keep on keeping on.
Usually this doesn’t happen overnight. Stepping away from our faith is a gradual process. It first begins with a thought. With an offense. With a disappointment. Satan likes to trick us and the place he knows he can get us is in our mind. He first plants a thought in our mind, and if we begin to meditate upon that thought, it grows and grows and before we know it we have fallen for his tricks and lies.
Walking away from God is a slow fade. Satan knows that if he just trips us, we will just get back up. So he uses a different kind of method…he leads us away slowly, for a permanent kill.
It starts with missing a day of reading the Bible, then you get too busy to pray, then you miss Bible Study, then you sleep in on Sunday morning…and before you know it, a pattern has been set. A habit has been formed. A habit that puts God on the back burner.
(James 5:19,20) “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
So what can we do when we see our brothers or sisters fall into this deathly trap?
Instead of shaking our head, looking the other way or condemning … we need to apply what James is saying. We need to continue to love them and encourage them. Pointing fingers and pointing out sin is not the way to lead them back home. Prayer and pursuit is the method to use to reach those that have been deceived.
Is there someone you have been praying for? How desperately are you pursuing them to come back to God? God never gives up on the chase. He will pursue His lost and fallen children until He has them in His arms once again.
Be careful of the slow fade!
You can find daily devotions over at my blog… www.womentakingastand.blogspot.com
A HUGE AMEN to this Laurie!!!! I have seen so-called “Christians” completely chastise and shut out those who are walking in sin. The problem is . . . the person who is in sin looks at them and says that they don’t want to have anything to do with “Christianity” because those who are their “sinning” friends actually love and accept them more. It is SO hard to watch as those you love decide that Christ has no place in their life and their hearts become hardened because of the way they are treated by “Christians.” This has been a difficult thing to witness in my Christian faith. It is truly heartbreaking. Thank you for the reminder that Jesus commands us to LOVE.
Blessings sister,
Cherie
Oh Laurie, Amen. Such a great post. AMEN.
Yes! We are all running in the same race. We have got to lovingly help others up when they have fallen. Amen! Awesome post Laurie!
It is indeed a slow fade. Little things happen in the community of believers and people get discouraged. Thank you for the reminder to continue to pray of our brothers and sisters to keep their eyes fixed on the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ.
Great post. It happens far too easily. The best thing I heard come from the pulpit was, “You are in a church of broken people. You will get hurt. Don’t expect people to have it all together. Knowing this will help you to move forward WHEN an offence comes.” This really helped to change the attitude in the church.
It is so sad to see this. I watched someone walk away two years ago and it still haunts me. It’s so easy to find fault, blame others, and somehow justify all of it. You are right, prayer keeps us connected, gives us strength and faith.
Andie
I too did this very thing twice in my life. Once as a teenager and had a son out of wedlock and again after being married for 26 years and left my marriage. Now God is teaching me patience as my husband now accepted Christ a couple years ago and now is not walking with the Lord. It is so hard not to say things, but I tried to remember back when I did the same thing and it wasn’t the things people said to me it was my sons prayers that drew me back.
Thank you for this post. I have done this, although I have not turned my back on God. He is still the Head of our house, but this touched home alot. God Bless
Hi Laurie
Unfortunately, I am one of these people.
I gave my life to Christ in 1992 and used to serve Him with zeal. I was on fire for God. I used to write Christian poetry and inspirational messages. I used to sing on the worship team and in the church choir.
Not anymore.
I can’t put my finger on exactly what happened. I can only say that my life has been on a serious downward spiral for many years and I grew tired of going to God for help and getting no answers and nothing but condemnation and judgment from brothers and sisters at church.
In my mind and in my heart, I was praying for what most people want. A life partner, a stable job, security. Instead, I’ve been alone and emotionally torn apart by my ex husband and taken to court repeatedly over the past 16 years, I am unable to hold down a job and have had to move several times and, last September, my now 15 year old son moved to his dad’s leaving me feeling, once again, rejected and abandoned.
At best, I’ve been told that I’m not a real Christian anyways because I am only worshiping and loving God for what He does for me and not who He is. I think that, for me, was a hit below the belt, especially considering that I feel God has turned His back on me and no longer hears my voice.
I feel that my prayers have long been bouncing off of the ceiling and hitting me in the face. Though the church members have known how to reach me, nobody has picked up the phone or even sent an email showing any concern for me or interest in having me back in the church. Many times, towards the end of my walk, I asked God to just stop my heart because I didn’t want to even live anymore.
Most nights, I can’t sleep. When I do, I have nightmares. After 16 years panic free, I have started to have panic attacks again. In short… I guess I have given up.
I’m glad I opened your devotional in my email but I don’t think I will ever go back to God.
Kelly
Great reminder! Unfortunately, I watched my husband slowly fade away from his faith and completely turn away when job relocation moved us to a new city. Through this my faith has grown more than ever and I’m on the Women’s Ministry Team at my church as a facilitator. Preparing for bible study each Monday night is time consuming but it keeps me in God’s Word…can’t think of a better place to be. 😉
I love my husband but it is so hard without Christ at the center of our marriage. I’m thankful he is supportive of my church involvement. I pray the Holy Spirit will turn him around.
Thanks again for a wonderful post!
What a great post Laurie! And yet my heart ached to read Kelly’s comment. I’m glad that she read your post and yet so sad to read that she wouldn’t go back to God. We in the body need to reach out and not forget those who have distanced themselves. It can be all too easy to instead distance from people who are going their own way. But I think of the prodigal son. The father never stop looking for him and welcomed him home with open arms. We need to be more like that I believe.
Blessings and love,
Debbie