Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Avoiding The Slow Fade

Temptation comes from our own desires,
which entice us and drag us away.
These desires give birth to sinful actions.
When sin is allowed to grow,
it gives birth to death.
JAMES 1:14-15 (NLT)



No one chooses the slow fade. Subtly and slowly, the evil one tempts us by our own sinful desires and weaknesses – luring us away from God without us even being aware of it. On the slippery slope of the slow fade, our flesh attempts to justify our choices because we don’t want to deny our own desires. We give ear to the voice of the evil one and the world that tells us we deserve this “pleasure” because of past offenses and hurts or how hard we have worked or because we are alone – the list goes on and on. There is a whole gamut of human desires that exist within each one of us and for us Christians it can be a fierce battle – a civil war taking place within us. In the words of King David …


Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me will to obey you.
Psalm 51:10-12 (NLT)


When I became aware that I had been on a slow fade, the above Scripture became my daily prayer. What I needed was a change in my desires and in my will to obey God – to do what was right. I knew the change had to take place from the inside out. I could not do it in my own will power – I needed to surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit to allow Him to teach me His Will.


I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.
PSALM 40:8 (NIV)



On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky