The Danger of the Drift - Encouragement for Today - December 05, 2025

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Proverbs 31 Ministries banner

Sharon JaynesDecember 5, 2025

The Danger of the Drift
SHARON JAYNES

Lee en español

“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1 (NIV)

Sitting at the beach, I watched my grandnieces ride the waves. Wade out. Ride in. Wade out. Ride in. The water came in to the shore at a wind-driven angle, so each time, the waves carried the girls just a little to the left. Then a little more. Then a little more.

I watched as the ocean spilled them further down the beach with each ride. They were oblivious to the potential danger of drifting away from the safety of where they began, but finally I walked down shore and waved them back to where our family was camped out for the day.

Like the girls’ subtle, slow drifting, we can be happily riding the waves of everyday life when one unwise decision spills us back onto the shore a little left of where we started. Then the next poor decision takes us a little left of that one …

Before we know it, the tide has taken us far from the safety of where we were once planted in God’s Truth, and we struggle to find our way back.

Hebrews 2:1 warns us about this: “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

The Greek word for “pay the most careful attention” is prosechein, which also means "to give heed, to be cautious, to devote oneself." We’re called to pay attention because the progression of one small temptation can lead to one wrong decision, and then another wave can lead to another wrong decision, which takes us further away from the intimacy we crave with Jesus.

For instance, if I don’t pay attention to what I’m watching on TV, I’m more likely to view something slightly offensive. Then I might watch something more offensive next time, and if I keep drifting, it becomes difficult to imagine Jesus watching beside me on the sofa.

Sometimes we ride so many waves that Jesus seems distant or far from view. But here are two words that bring us back from the drift: repent and return.

To repent means to have genuine remorse, turn away from sin, and go back to God. When we repent, God forgives: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV). And “all” means all.

Oh, friend, I want you to envision Jesus standing on the shore of where you are right now. He’s waving for you to come back to His safety — just as surely as He waved Peter to the shore even after he denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62; John 21:1-25). Christ is always waiting to lead us back to intimacy with Him, no matter how far we’ve drifted.

Heavenly Father, help me recognize when my decisions could cause me to drift in my relationship with You. Thank You for standing on the shore and always welcoming me home when I repent and return. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be stressful. This Christmas, give more than just a gift — give encouragement, joy, and inspiration with our Christmas Collection. From cozy apparel and chic accessories to Truth-filled devotionals and timeless keepsakes, each item is designed to bless the people you love most. With meaningful gifts under $50, $25, and even $15, finding something special for everyone on your list has never been easier. Shop the Christmas Collection, and share the gift of hope this holiday season.

width

ENGAGE

We’ve all drifted at some point in our lives. Perhaps some of those drifts have led to difficult chapters that you’d like to rip out of the narrative. But rather than remove them, God wants to repurpose them for good. Sharon’s book When You Don’t Like Your Story: What if Your Worst Chapters Could Become Your Greatest Victories? takes you from hurt to healing to helping others with what you’ve been through. Check it out on her website here.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Colossians 1:23, “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News …” (NLT).

Song of Solomon 2:15, “Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!” (NLT).

In the verse above, Solomon was referring to small, negative influences that can creep in and gradually harm or destroy a romantic relationship, but the idea of "catching foxes" can also be applied to any relationship, including our relationship with God.

What are some current-day “foxes” that can creep into our lives? How can we stand firm in God’s Truth? In the comments, let’s share.

© 2025 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

The Danger of the Drift - Encouragement for Today - December 05, 2025

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Proverbs 31 Ministries banner

Sharon JaynesDecember 5, 2025

The Danger of the Drift
SHARON JAYNES

Lee en español

“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1 (NIV)

Sitting at the beach, I watched my grandnieces ride the waves. Wade out. Ride in. Wade out. Ride in. The water came in to the shore at a wind-driven angle, so each time, the waves carried the girls just a little to the left. Then a little more. Then a little more.

I watched as the ocean spilled them further down the beach with each ride. They were oblivious to the potential danger of drifting away from the safety of where they began, but finally I walked down shore and waved them back to where our family was camped out for the day.

Like the girls’ subtle, slow drifting, we can be happily riding the waves of everyday life when one unwise decision spills us back onto the shore a little left of where we started. Then the next poor decision takes us a little left of that one …

Before we know it, the tide has taken us far from the safety of where we were once planted in God’s Truth, and we struggle to find our way back.

Hebrews 2:1 warns us about this: “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

The Greek word for “pay the most careful attention” is prosechein, which also means "to give heed, to be cautious, to devote oneself." We’re called to pay attention because the progression of one small temptation can lead to one wrong decision, and then another wave can lead to another wrong decision, which takes us further away from the intimacy we crave with Jesus.

For instance, if I don’t pay attention to what I’m watching on TV, I’m more likely to view something slightly offensive. Then I might watch something more offensive next time, and if I keep drifting, it becomes difficult to imagine Jesus watching beside me on the sofa.

Sometimes we ride so many waves that Jesus seems distant or far from view. But here are two words that bring us back from the drift: repent and return.

To repent means to have genuine remorse, turn away from sin, and go back to God. When we repent, God forgives: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV). And “all” means all.

Oh, friend, I want you to envision Jesus standing on the shore of where you are right now. He’s waving for you to come back to His safety — just as surely as He waved Peter to the shore even after he denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62; John 21:1-25). Christ is always waiting to lead us back to intimacy with Him, no matter how far we’ve drifted.

Heavenly Father, help me recognize when my decisions could cause me to drift in my relationship with You. Thank You for standing on the shore and always welcoming me home when I repent and return. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be stressful. This Christmas, give more than just a gift — give encouragement, joy, and inspiration with our Christmas Collection. From cozy apparel and chic accessories to Truth-filled devotionals and timeless keepsakes, each item is designed to bless the people you love most. With meaningful gifts under $50, $25, and even $15, finding something special for everyone on your list has never been easier. Shop the Christmas Collection, and share the gift of hope this holiday season.

width

ENGAGE

We’ve all drifted at some point in our lives. Perhaps some of those drifts have led to difficult chapters that you’d like to rip out of the narrative. But rather than remove them, God wants to repurpose them for good. Sharon’s book When You Don’t Like Your Story: What if Your Worst Chapters Could Become Your Greatest Victories? takes you from hurt to healing to helping others with what you’ve been through. Check it out on her website here.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Colossians 1:23, “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News …” (NLT).

Song of Solomon 2:15, “Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!” (NLT).

In the verse above, Solomon was referring to small, negative influences that can creep in and gradually harm or destroy a romantic relationship, but the idea of "catching foxes" can also be applied to any relationship, including our relationship with God.

What are some current-day “foxes” that can creep into our lives? How can we stand firm in God’s Truth? In the comments, let’s share.

© 2025 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide