Are You Drifting or Drowning?

How would you describe the state of your spiritual life today? Is it vibrant and thriving, or have you hit rough waters? Tim Keller offers a metaphor to help believers assess their spiritual health, comparing our souls to a boat with both oars and a sail. Are you sailing, rowing, drifting, or sinking?

If you’re sailing, the Spirit of God is moving you forward effortlessly, with prayer and Bible reading feeling like a joy. When you’re rowing, you still make progress, but it requires more effort. Prayer and worship may feel like tasks you push through, rather than joyful expressions of faith. Rowing Christians work hard to stay on course but long for spiritual winds to pick them up again.

Drifting happens when spiritual habits slip. Prayer, Bible study, and church attendance take a backseat, and you let yourself float aimlessly, waiting for some kind of spiritual revival. Lastly, sinking is a dangerous state where spiritual life is drowning, often triggered by personal crisis. Doubt, despair, and disillusionment grow, pushing one farther from God.

Throughout Scripture, we see examples of these conditions. David, in the Psalms, gives voice to both the highs of sailing (Psalm 16) and the lows of rowing (Psalm 63). Those who are drifting or sinking may identify with the psalmist's cries for God’s presence, as seen in Psalms 42 and 73.

This metaphor reminds us that spiritual health is not a solitary endeavor. When we row or sail alongside others in the church, we grow stronger. Left alone, it’s easier to drift or sink. If you find yourself in troubled waters, the solution is often community other believers who can encourage, pray, and support you.

Remember, no matter how rough the journey, God can rescue, restore, and redirect us to sail again. Prayer and persistence will eventually bring wind to your sails, but don’t be afraid to ask for help.

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