…Resist Spiritual Drift
// by Katie Graham
Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
“Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty…” sang the sweet voice from the carseat in the backseat of my car. I couldn’t help but smile, listening to the sweet melody and my daughter’s precious voice. Gretchen was age three at the time, and we were in the line of cars waiting our turn to exit the church parking lot after Bible Study Fellowship, our weekly Bible study in Indianapolis. She had learned the old hymn in the childcare program and was singing it as only a three year old can! Another memory from that time in my life is with small group with church friends who were also starting families; I have a picture in my mind of all our babies crawling and rolling around the middle of the living room within the circle of adults. During this period of my life I had the advantage of time, and I felt closer to God than ever. I relished the opportunities to grow spiritually alongside likeminded women and families in Bible study and small groups. Now, my time looks different and although I sometimes feel nostalgic for the past, I’ve learned to find new ways to keep my faith fresh, and by God’s grace, resist spiritual decline.
Fast forward 15 years from that day in the car after Bible Study Fellowship: my daughter is now 18 years old, and I’m no longer a stay-at-home Mom, but working full-time as a teacher. Spending time reading the Bible and spiritual activities look different than they did before, and I haven’t been able to attend the weekly Bible study I always enjoyed. I’ve had to find new times and new ways to read the Bible. I’ve learned to accept the invitations and take the opportunities that God has sent my way.
In the summer of 2022 my sister asked if I wanted to attend the Gospel Coalition for Women in Indianapolis. I agreed, knowing it was a good event plus I was able to spend time with my sister, but had no idea how incredible the teaching would be. I walked out of that conference with so many notes, books, and materials that I was set for a year of reading, review, and Bible study!
One year I read the Bible chronologically, and the next year I did the same reading plan, but followed each reading with a short podcast that explained what I read and encouraged me to see something new about God I’d never seen before . This year I was invited to join a group within the Bible app, and we are following the same Bible reading plan together. The group provides accountability because I know we are all going to show up and read each day’s passage, and respond if we feel so inclined.
If I were asked how to avoid spiritual decline I’d say read the Bible every day and do it with others. Find a plan that includes some commentary to help explain what you read. Be open to new ideas and accept the invitations, because you never know what you will learn and how God will use those new experiences to help you grow in your faith. Do I wish I had the time I had before to linger after traditional women’s Bible study, and continue heartfelt conversations at the park while our kids played? Sometimes I do, yes. However, I’ve also learned that there are other ways to grow spiritually and sometimes all it takes is accepting an invitation, or a willingness to try something new. Give it a try! And if you want to learn more about the daily Bible reading plan I do in the Bible app, please reach out, I’d love to share.