5 minute read
Through a Mother’s Eyes
Slow Fade
BY DIANE CHEVELDAYOFF
As we look back over time, we can see the path of our lives and even the condition of our country as a string of interconnected decisions. This retroactive perspective shows us the accumulated results of many years and reminds us that when we lack awareness, a slow fade can happen at any time. Choices that are tiny in and of themselves can become an entangled web over time.
“Slow Fade” is a term my husband and I have used with our girls to express the inherent nature of small decisions that go against God’s design as expressed through His perfect Word. What you may think is insignificant can quickly infringe on the very morals you hold so firmly. This release can take shape in many ways. For example, through an attitude of silent tolerance or willful ignorance in hopes of not causing conflict or not wanting to be seen as “no fun.” Or it can result from being passive, as your quiet presence supports what you fundamentally disagree with.
Recently, one of our girls recognized the slow fade in her life. What started as a minor issue, over time became more extreme, causing her to look back and wonder, How did I get here? The world had drawn her in with a disguise of ‘harmless’ fun, and she believed that since she wasn’t doing the harmful things everyone else was doing, she would be guarded from the effects of the sin. As parents, it is painful to watch your child choose a toxic environment. They don’t recognize the self-inflicted wounds nor see the evil roots only bandaging the symptoms and effect.
We often justify our actions or inactions, not looking at their root cause or overall impact. Although we commonly discount our sins of omission, this is directly addressed in James 4:17: Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it (NLT).
The slow fade is happening all around us. And the devil uses our inattentiveness to stunt our relationship with Jesus Christ. But we can combat this by being open to evaluating ourselves—not out of a place of self-condemnation, but out of love and eagerness to be more like God.
We should consistently pray for ourselves and others to develop awareness and wisdom to not fall into the devil’s trap. The Bible calls for our actions to be decisive—hot or cold. When we go with the flow and are swayed by the world, our deeds become harmful and distasteful to God. As said in Revelation 3:16, “But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (NLT). Our daughter has come to realize and personalize the example of the city of Laodicea. She shared and related to this interesting story based on the hot springs to the north and cold purified springs to the south that, as they flowed to Laodicea, became lukewarm and unhealthy to drink. Jesus used this as a message to those who were completely out of fellowship with Him. When we neglect to hold to God’s hard truths, we lack purpose and become useless to His kingdom. The slow fade occurs, and we become separated from God as we are filled with the world’s impurities.
REMEMBER, IT IS SIN TO KNOW WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO AND THEN NOT DO IT (JAMES 4:17 NLT)
Our fear of missing out and other conflicting principles are deceptive and can compromise our faith, revealing a lack of commitment to God. But we can guard against that by spending time in God’s presence and allowing Him to speak into our lives. We prioritize whatever or whomever we consider important. Do we make God a priority? Are we intentional about spending time in prayer? What about going to church, being in fellowship? As our daughter recently said, “If you truly believe in God, you should feel a sense of urgency to walk with Him daily.” There is a big difference between a relationship of convenience and one of dedication, which takes effort. The only relationships to survive the test of time are those placed as a top priority and worked on daily. Our relationship with God is no different. That really does sum it up.
It’s easy to allow that slow fade to creep into our lives. But if we hold tightly to God, He will allow us to see the slight progression that threatens to remove us from His will, and He will give us His wisdom to weed out those actions before they take over. On the other hand, the world tries to entice us down paths that are crooked and dangerous by cloaking them in deceit. As Proverbs 21:8 states, The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road (NLT). God’s Word is guaranteed to keep you on the straight and narrow path. No matter how small our choices seem in the moment, they all matter and add up. We should all feel a sense of urgency to stand for truth, because if we don’t, it will be impossible to avoid the slow fade.
Diane is a professional independent planner with over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry - planning, contracting, and executing meetings and events worldwide. (www.ExecutiveDiamond.com) She and her husband Les have been married over 31 years and have three beautiful adult girls. Doing life together is important to Diane as she supports his pastoral role and enjoys helping others have a healthy marriage. As AACC certified coaches they specialize in pre-marriage, marriage fundamentals and threatened marriages through Breakwater Coaching and in their ministry, HALO Highway, Healing Arts Life’s Oxygen. (www. HALOHighway.com) She can be reached at Diane@ExecutiveDiamond.com
OUR LIFE CHOICES CREATE A SLOW FADE IN OUR OWN SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION.
