Sit in a canoe on a lake and you'll either go nowhere, or you'll drift in whatever direction the wind happens to carry you.
Sit in a canoe on a river, and you'll get carried along in the direction of the current. If you're lucky, you might get a gentle trip like the lazy river at a waterpark. But maybe you'll get a harrowing trip through rocks and rapids, and there is no telling whether the current will carry you safely through, flip your boat, dash you to bits on a rock, or throw you over a waterfall.
Unless your destination is "wherever I happen to end up," you'll never get there by merely drifting.
As followers of Lord Jesus, we have a destination - to grow into his image, to become the women and men God intends us to be. Jesus never said to people, "Believe in me, then just kick back and let the current of life take you where it will." No, he never said that at all. Jesus calls us to action - on-going action. Believe, take on his yoke, deny yourself, pick up your cross, follow...
Sometimes, a season of drifting is necessary and good - when you've been navigating difficult waters and finally find yourself out of the rapids for awhile, it's good to rest and take stock, repair you boat, get ready for what may be around the next bend. That is purposeful, intentional drifting, and we all need some.
But continual mindless drifting - consciously choosing to make no choice about one's direction - does nothing but waste time. The longer one drifts, the more difficult it can become to find the motivation to sit up, check out the surroundings, choose a course, and start doing something - anything - to start moving in that direction.
If you've been just drifting along in your walk with Jesus, maybe today is your day to get back on course. If you need help setting a direction, here's a link to "Forward Day By Day," a daily devotional that follows the lectionary readings used by The Episcopal Church. You can find more resources there as well, to help you chart a course. Good Sailing!
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