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Rip Tide – Drifting Away or Holding On?
Have you ever been at the beach, enjoying the waves, only to look up and realize—you’ve drifted way farther down the shore than you meant to? It’s easy to drift, whether in the ocean or in life. Today, we’re talking about spiritual rip tides—how we can drift without realizing it and what it takes to stay anchored in our faith.
Hebrews 2:1 (NLT) – “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
Drifting doesn’t happen in an instant; it’s slow and subtle. Whether in our faith, relationships, or purpose, if we’re not intentional, we can find ourselves further from God than we ever planned.
I remember going to the beach as a kid and playing in the waves. Before I knew it, I was way down the shoreline, and my parents looked like tiny dots. I didn’t feel myself drifting; I was just caught up in the moment. That’s how life can be sometimes.
Let’s talk about how to recognize when we’re drifting and how to stay anchored in faith, purpose, and truth.
Recognizing When You’re Drifting and How It Happens
Drifting is often unintentional when we stop paying attention.
We can drift in our faith, habits, priorities, and even relationships.
Have you ever been so caught up in a conversation while driving that you missed your exit—or the person driving missed the exit? Sometimes, we don’t even realize we’re off track until we’re way off course. We don’t always know how it happens, but it does.
What’s one area of life where you’ve been on autopilot?
Do you feel that you are moving toward God or drifting away?
Signs of Spiritual Drifting:
Loss of passion for prayer, worship, or time with God.
Feeling disconnected but unsure why.
Justifying things that once convicted you.
Do any of these seem familiar? They do for me. Sometimes, in the midst of these, I didn’t even realize that drifting was the issue.
If you feel distant from God, remember—He hasn’t moved. It is us who have moved. He’s always ready to pull you back in.
What can you do to reconnect with the Lord and not feel disconnected, lonely, or just down? We all have ways to get back on track. Do what works best for you, and let’s reconnect with the Lord.
Identifying What Pulls Us Off Course
Many things can pull us off course, and we need to identify them.
The basics are busyness and distractions, but even good things can pull us away. Sometimes, it’s subtle compromises that add up over time.
I once went to the store for milk and somehow came home with candles, snacks, and a plant… but no milk! Distractions are sneaky! True—and this happens more often than I’d like to admit. If I don’t have a list, there is no way I’m going to remember everything I need to get. We have to have something to keep us on track no matter what distractions may come.
Identify the biggest distraction pulling you away from spiritual focus. Another way to think of it is this: What’s one thing you can cut back on to create more space for God?
Finding Your Anchor
Once you realize you’re drifting, the next step is to find your anchor. What keeps you grounded? What helps you stay connected to God even when life gets chaotic?
I remember a season when I let little distractions pile up—before I knew it, I was feeling distant from God. But as soon as I made time to intentionally connect with Him, that distance closed fast. Why? Because He was always there and will always be there.
Let’s talk about how to stay anchored when life’s rip tides try to pull us away.
The Bible is our anchor—God’s Word keeps us steady. If we’re not intentional about reading it, we’re more likely to drift.
Find one verse today that speaks to your current season and meditate on it.
What anchors you most in your faith?
Building Spiritual Strength
Just like exercise builds physical strength, spiritual habits build faith strength.
Daily prayer, worship, and Bible reading keep us rooted. Small, consistent actions create deep, lasting faith.
I found a story about a guy who did a 40-day experiment that changed his life. He said He did the whole church Sunday routine but then during the week he said this, “By nature, my mind is buzzing, my work is constant, and I accumulate feelings throughout a day like a punctured boat hull takes on water. Residual thoughts from every conversation, task, and responsibility are always pressing on me, ready to overtake me 1, 2, even 3 or more times a day.”
In his writing he said he was looking for more than the spiritual rhythms. They because normal and he wanted to refocus because he knew that weekly rhythms would never be enough.
So, he did a 40-day challenge where he took 5-10 minutes of intentional quiet time with the Lord to work on his emotional and spiritual health. He did this before looking at the phone or answering emails.
It’s funny how we think we need huge, powerful moments with God to feel close to Him. But really, it’s the daily, quiet moments that build the strongest foundation.
Set a small daily faith habit, like praying before checking your phone or reading a verse at breakfast.
What’s one habit you can commit to this week to stay spiritually grounded?
Surrounding Yourself with the Right People
Who we spend time with influences our faith journey. We can actually drift away without knowing it just by who we surround ourselves with.
What we need are encouraging, faith-filled friends to keep us accountable. A strong support system helps us stand firm in tough seasons.
Even Jesus surrounded Himself with people who encouraged and strengthened His mission. We need community too.
Hebrews 2:1 tells us, “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
Find a friend, mentor, or small group to grow in faith with.
Who in your life strengthens your faith, and how can you invest in that relationship?
Holding On When Life Pulls You Under
Sometimes, the current pulling us away is strong. Whether it’s stress, temptation, or exhaustion, we must be intentional about swimming back to where we belong.
We all face storms—hard times that threaten to pull us away from faith. But the good news? We don’t have to go through them alone. God holds on to us, even when we feel like we’re slipping.
I’ve had seasons where life felt like one big rip tide—unexpected challenges, doubts creeping in. But I’ve also seen how holding onto God’s promises makes all the difference.
Maybe you’re feeling stuck in a strong current right now. The good news? You’re not alone, and God is stronger than anything trying to pull you away.
Trusting God When You Feel Overwhelmed is something that we need to try and hold onto tightly because that can be our lifesaver.
Life’s challenges can feel like waves crashing over us. Trusting God doesn’t mean the storm stops, but it means we won’t sink. Remembering His past faithfulness gives us strength in the present.
Think back to a time when God showed up for you—He’s the same today.
How has God been faithful in your life before?
Hope is our anchor—it keeps us steady when circumstances are shaky. The enemy wants to fill us with doubt, but God fills us with hope. Holding onto His promises gives us strength to persevere.
When you feel like you’re sinking, remember—God’s hand is always reaching out.
I’m remined of when Peter is walking on water and he takes his eyes of Jesus and he starts sinking and Jesus walks over, picks him up and takes him back to the boat. Jesus knew what was going to happen and He was there to help.
What’s one promise of God that gives you hope?
No matter how far we drift, God is always ready to bring us back. His love isn’t based on our performance, it’s constant.
God is always prepared to receive us, to offer his love and grace, and He is actively anticipating a connection with us, even when we are struggling or haven't reached out to him; essentially, he is not waiting for us to be perfect before engaging with us. This provides so much comfort, hope and encouragement, especially when we are in difficult times, feel far away from the Lord.
Take one intentional step today that can be: prayer, worship, reaching out for encouragement.
If you need some extra prayer, contact me at rachel@kjic.org and let me know what you need prayer for, and I will be glad to join you in prayer.
Drifting happens to all of us at some point. The key is recognizing it early and making the choice to return. No matter how far you’ve drifted, God’s arms are always open.
So, if you’re feeling distant from God, remember—He hasn’t moved. He’s right there, ready to pull you back in. It’s never too late to grab hold of Him again.
Today let’s be intentional about staying anchored. Let’s choose habits, people, and truths that keep us steady. And no matter what comes, let’s remember that God’s grip on us is always stronger than any rip tide we face.
Keep our main scripture for today with you: Hebrews 2:1 – “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
Drifting is easy, but staying anchored takes intention. Choose today to hold onto God—He’s already holding onto you.