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Remaining inside the ‘circle’ is not about perfection. It is about staying near to God.
Most spiritual drift does not happen dramatically.
It happens quietly.
Slowly.
Subtly.
Almost imperceptibly at first.
We become busy.
Distracted.
Emotionally exhausted.
Spiritually numb.
And before long, we find ourselves reacting instead of responding, striving instead of abiding, and withdrawing instead of engaging.
Recently, during a conference session with Ryan Ward from Relational Wisdom 360, one image deeply stayed with me:
We all live either inside or outside the “circle” of relational wisdom.
Inside the circle, we remain aware of:
- God
- ourselves rightly
- and others compassionately
Outside the circle, we drift into self-focus, pride, fear, disconnection, and relational breakdown.
The drift rarely feels intentional.
But the effects are real.
Drift Changes the Way We See People
One section of my notes listed the fruit of relational drift:
- insensitivity
- self-centeredness
- misunderstanding
- selfishness
That hit hard.
Because spiritual drift is not just theological.
It’s relational.
When we lose awareness of God’s presence, we often lose tenderness toward people too.
We stop listening carefully.
We become defensive.
We assume motives.
We protect ourselves instead of loving well.
And eventually, relationships begin to feel exhausting instead of life-giving.
Not because people are the enemy.
But because disconnected souls struggle to stay compassionate.
Scripture Warns Us About This Pattern
The book of Judges repeatedly says:
“Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”
That phrase isn’t just describing rebellion.
It’s describing relational disorder.
A life disconnected from the wisdom and presence of God eventually becomes self-directed.
And self-directed living almost always produces relational destruction.
Proverbs 9:10 reminds us:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Not self-awareness alone.
Not emotional intelligence alone.
Not better coping mechanisms alone.
Biblical wisdom begins with awareness of God.
We Don’t Need Better Image Management
We need reconnection.
One of the most freeing ideas from the conference was this:
Healthy people stay engaged.
They engage:
- with God
- with Scripture
- with people
- with conviction
- with grace
- with humility
Not perfectly.
But honestly.
Many of us are tempted to cope with exhaustion by disengaging emotionally.
We pull back.
Numb out.
Go through the motions.
Avoid vulnerability.
Stay productive while quietly becoming distant.
But God never designed His people merely to function.
He designed us to walk closely with Him.
Staying Inside the Circle
Remaining inside the “circle” is not about perfection.
It is about staying near to God.
Returning quickly.
Remaining humble.
Keeping soft hearts.
Continuing to engage with others even when it feels costly.
Because when we remain aware of God’s grace, it changes the way we see ourselves and the people around us.
And maybe that’s the invitation today.
Not to try harder.
Not to become more impressive.
But simply to come near again.
Inspired by teaching from Ryan Ward of Relational Wisdom 360. At Cedar Creek Ministries, we care deeply about helping ministry leaders, families, and weary souls pursue sustainable faithfulness through rhythms of rest, reconnection, and renewal.
