I’ve never met anyone who started following Jesus and didn’t get upset with him at some point about his choices or direction. We all think we know best, don’t we? Our prayers can sound pious, but God judges the intents of our hearts (1 Sam. 16:7)—he hears the inner childish tantrum: “I want this girl, this job, this car, this house.” Maybe your faith has never cooled completely, but I’ve known many who did and who walked the way of the lost sheep.
This new series explores the living testimonies of people who wandered from the faith and discovered that, like the lost sheep, God hadn’t abandoned them.
We were made for life together, yet ministry cultures and personal habits often foster isolation: leaders confine burdens to themselves, small groups stay shallow, and people mistake independence for maturity.
We rarely wake up wanting to be greedy. It slips in as one more purchase, one more upgrade, or a quiet measuring of our worth by what we own. Before long, our time, attention and money orbit comfort and image more than Christ.
When we stop making time for the basics—quiet prayer, Scripture, worship and steady fellowship—our faith slowly loses muscle. It’s rarely dramatic: mornings skipped, evenings full, excuses about being “too busy.” Over time, that pattern leaves us spiritually tired, less able to spot temptation, and more likely to drift into decisions we’d once have resisted. What was once a living relationship with Jesus becomes a list of good intentions.
When we begin to excuse our actions or quietly lower God’s standards to avoid awkward conversations, our moral sensitivity fades, and our testimony grows muddled.
Pride turns faith into theatre: instead of looking to God, people look to guard their reputations, pass judgment, and polish their image, rather than admitting weakness or receiving God’s mercy. Self‑righteousness pushes people away and stunts growth — it convinces us we’re beyond need, so we stop leaning on the Holy Spirit and reject loving correction.
If those who raise difficult issues meet hostility instead of help, their concerns harden into obstacles. Worse, their doubts can be perceived as a personal failure, so people will cover it up and act like they have all the answers, or even abandon their faith altogether, rather than work through tough issues!
When faith turns into a habit with no bite—more about looking good or keeping things easy than the costly discipleship Jesus calls for—it kills spiritual hunger and stops us growing.
