They do. They drift. Okay, so do I, maybe, I guess…Lot’s of life applications here.
I thought of this while shoveling out our driveway and then three more driveways on our road. The winds created a ground blizzard and made huge packed drifts where cars and trucks once passed through. All our drives are 100 yards long (give or take some distance). At this point I need to show you a picture of my shovel in case you think a retired guy is superhuman. Disclaimer: I wrote that for me as I know it never crossed your mind.
Think about how easy it is to drift in life. Life’s storms and winds come up and change our direction. things pile up and our energies are used just to cope and get by.
I write this to encourage those of us who write to consider how grounded we are to the message we have set out to get across. It’s easy to drift with the winds and react to the times. If we write just to be read, it is like me shoveling snow (with the skid steer bucket of course) because I like shoveling and piling snow. Anywhere, everywhere. It’s fun! I’m afraid I have accomplished many things in life needlessly.
Truthfully, I have heard many public speakers who just like to hear themselves talk. I have read many a blog with a sigh thinking “and your point, encouragement, entertainment value or motivation is…?”
My last point is a spiritual consideration directed at those who follow Jesus.
I use a skid steer to shovel snow as it’s not humanly possible to move that much snow after a storm with hard packed snow drifts. We have no business tackling jobs without making sure we are onboard with God’s will and God’s power (not from asking God to be onboard with us). This is the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is from a conviction that this is what God wants us to be about. This is from our walk and living relationship with a risen Christ in us.
When we drift from operating on God’s leading and his power, we fall into the big drift of powerless mediocrity.
So, watch out for those prevailing winds of time, the storms and blizzards of life and the drift that so easily happens. “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1
“Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.” psalm 127:1
- Take a walk 2) have a talk 3)get right 4)Stay tight!
Gary
Gods Ways are...Different 
Good words Gary. Thanks.
I’ve found myself buffeted by life storms and drifting from the path He intended for me more than I care to remember Gary, and inevitably because I thought I had a better way to weather the trial. Like my now in Glory German grandmother used to chide me when I’d been naughty (often) . . . Freddy, you’re too soon old and too late smart.”
Love your ‘snowshovel’ brother.
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Thanks Fred. My German Grandmother had the same saying. It was too soon and too long true. Ya, the shovel comes in very handy out here in the woods. 4 families each with an 80 acre patch and the homes were built in the 4 corners sort of by each other. No sense in everyone having the same expensive machinery. sharing is a cultural and spiritual life style here.
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Somehow I knew, even before I scrolled down, that your snow shovel would look nothing like mine. Only in Northern Minnesota! A front end loader–the perfect “Fultz Fix.” 😁 Your comparison to having hard-packed “drifts” in our personal lives is a good one, Gary. Just yesterday I realized I’ve been chasing the likes, follows, and comments on my site. My wife recognized my writer’s drift and asked me, “Remember why you started blogging? It was because you wanted to encourage others in the Christian faith. The numbers weren’t important then; it was the need.” Of course, I’m paraphrasing my better half, but she is right. Like you said, it’s so easy to drift. That’s why we need to heed your closing four-fold recipe: take a walk, have a talk, get right, and stay tight! I still remember this from your video talk. Happy shoveling, and God’s best to you.
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Thanks David. The concept of drifting and individual drifts and operating with God’s power not just ours has been rattling around in my head for awhile. I simplified it to a short quick “blogger read” but its a jumping off point. My prone to wander all over the place without a good focused life is a part as well. I need a big powerful skid steer in several areas of my life.
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Thanks Gary. What a guy to bless your neighbors and y’all bless each other. That’s Community. We can’t afford to drift when doing for the Lord is called for. And for each other.
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True RJ. We try not to hoard what God owns even though our name is on the title.
Many people believe God owns the cattle on a thousand hills but not the meat in their freezer. So, I’m gifted to live in a place with a skid steer that belongs to God.
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Hi Gary, Thanks for the great reminder to stay focused on what really matters. You’re right about it being easy to drift, far too easy. I am amazed sometimes at what I think I will write on and then after prayer the post goes in an entirely different direction. I am convinced that staying close to God and seeking His will, keeps us in His lane, through the leading of God’s Holy Spirit. I would be remiss however, if I didn’t mention that I do have a slight amount of envy, concerning your shovel. Blessings brother!
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Thanks Bruce. Don’t envy too hard. It’s an old skid steer and there is upkeep. It’s quite a beast when running properly and probably will last quite a while if filters and oils are kept properly. This crazy winter it has been an unbelievable blessing though. A heated shop so it starts in really cold weather is another blessing.
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And through you, a blessing to others! That’s a “where the rubber hits the road” kind of witness and that witness speaks many many words. Just saying . . .
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Thanks for the kick in the butt.
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I started laughing Robert and then realized I wasn’t sure of the tone that went with those words. But to go with your character that comes through your writing…you are welcome..
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Thanks, Gary, this is a great devotional illustration with cautionary wisdom. The verse from Hebrews makes a perfect exclamation point to close.
Your topic of drifting makes me think of the line “prone to wander” from the hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Another line from the same hymn is a good prayer, “Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.” I want to be bound to the Lord and led by the Holy Spirit.
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I so relate to that line “prone to wander, Lord I feel it” Manette.
In my believer circles of fellowship here, many do not speak much of the Holy Spirits power in our life. Nothing of consequence actually gets done without His doing, without being bound to Him as you so insightfully put it.
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Thanks Gary.
We’re are on our third named storm in as many days here in the UK, but fortunately no snow (except in the far north and in Scotland). When we do get bad snow the blessing for me is how we come together as neighbours to clear our drives (with hand held shovels) and the small 11-house cut-de-sac where we live. I see a reminder in that to the church that we all need to work together with the same aim – as you say above to do God’s will not ours, with the enabling of His Holy Spirit.
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Sounds like you are wintering well David. It does seem to be a stormy season. Our current weather is for a 48 hour snow and wind storm. Hand held is a blessing when there are many hands and shovels.
Your neighborhood is a blessing. No big machinery needed near houses. One wrong move and a skidsteer will round the corner of a house nicely.
It will also find any kids toys and multiply the garden hoses left out into many pieces.
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Now the winds have passed through we have flood warnings Gary! But winter has been kind to us for several years now. The last bad (in UK terms) snow was in March 2018 when I got stranded 13 miles from home for two days. I had managed to get all the way back from London but the last 26 miles home is on country roads.Fortunately I got stuck not in the wilds but in a small town with a Fawlty Towers-like hotel (just £45 a night bed and cooked breakfast) where I stayed until the snowdrifts blocking the road had been cleared. I wouldn’t mind a go driving your skidsteer!
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You would enjoy it David. The first problem is liking it so much you will want one. The first indicator of liking it too much is finding yourself praying for more and bigger snow storms
If you ever get this way you can try it out.
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“ When we drift from operating on God’s leading and his power, we fall into the big drift of powerless mediocrity.”
Amen and Amen.
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Its true Crissy…so many dance around the fire when they could have the fire in them.
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Good post, Gary. One thing we really do need to watch out for is drifting. I was talking with a friend about the “belt of Truth” and how many belts there are that it could be compared to. She added one I hadn’t thought of, the belt a scuba diver wears to add extra weight and keep him from drifting. Reminding ourselves of God’s Truth will do that, too, help us not to be ” blown here and there by every wind of doctrine.”
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I know that being in the Word is such an anchor for me. I brought some guys fishing one time when the water was absolutely calm so I did not use an anchor to fish a small area where a big school of nice fish always seemed to be nestled in an underwater rock structure. After catching many, the fish quit biting. I had not even noticed that we had drifted ever so slowly a long ways away from that spot. I shared Hebrews admonition with the guys immediately. We then went back and anchored for more fish.
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Snow is never a problem here 😆 but nevertheless this is a great analogy and I love your 4 step ending. Saving for future reference!
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Thanks, Yes, lots of analogies from snow can be had.
I developed the four steps for teenagers to remember and discuss a long time ago and it has worked well for me.
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We all experience times of drifting…yet if we keep our eyes on God, he is always faithful to steer us back on track. He won’t let us be like the blowing snow, going this way and that. However, we still have to do our part in cooperating with him. Those times of drifting can be wonderful reminders of how very much we need him!
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So very True Stephanie
I need my walk with God to be like chocolate…I doubt I will drift very far from that.
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There is another post in that Gary. I don’t stray very far from chocolate either.
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Ha, There probably is another post there.
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Great post! There certainly are prevailing winds…Every day we make a fresh start. God has asked us to pray without ceasing. It is the only way to make any progress in the deep snows of life.
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Very true Linda. Praying continually is the only way our snow blower keeps working to see where the path is.
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Insightful analogy, Gary. I agree: it’s very easy to drift without even realizing it. And I agree that time in the Word most days is the best protection against drifting. (Reading insightful blogs like yours is probably second! : ) )
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Thanks Nancy. And yours.
We are not just a lighthouse to the world. Also to one another.
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