Friday, January 16, 2026

Bible in a Year: ❏ Genesis 36-39 | ❏ Mark 10

When you hear the word drift, what comes to mind? For me, this winter, it's a snow drift on a roadway.

A drift forms when the wind picks up snow and deposits it somewhere else, often where it doesn't belong. Over time, those small movements create large mounds that disrupt what was once clear and safe. When snow drifts build up on a road, they don't just slow things down; they can become dangerous.

Spiritual drifts work much the same way. No one sets out on a journey with God hoping to end up farther from him. These drifts rarely happen suddenly. They happen quietly, slowly - practically unnoticeable. What begins as a sincere yes to God can turn into a series of yeses to other things if we stop paying attention to the direction of our hearts.

Little by little, our focus shifts. Our priorities gather in places they were never meant to settle. And before we realize it, the drift has pulled us in a direction we never intended, or worse, a direction God never intended.

In 2 Chronicles 1:7, Solomon is given an astonishing invitation. God appears to him and asks, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you.”

Solomon's response is humble and grounded (2 Chronicles 1:8-10). He acknowledges God's faithfulness, honors what God has already done, and recognizes his dependence on him. In that moment, Solomon's heart is aligned, and his yes is sincere.

Scripture later shows us that Solomon's story doesn't end there. Comfort and success grow, and a drift from what God asks of Solomon takes root (1 Kings 11).

That's the danger. Drift doesn't usually happen when life is hard. It happens when life feels manageable, and our routines settle into familiar patterns. It happens when we stop asking hard questions about why we’re doing what we're doing, and we just drive along at the normal speed of life.

What we need to remember is that staying aligned with God requires more than a one-time yes. It means regularly pausing to examine our hearts, motives, priorities, and what's shaping our desires. Because God isn't just interested in what we ask for, he cares deeply about where our hearts are focused.

Today’s invitation is simple: pay attention. Ask God to reveal the direction of your heart before you become caught or overwhelmed by a drift you didn’t expect.

Questions: 
What has your heart been saying yes to lately?

Next Steps: 
Notice where comfort or success may have dulled your attentiveness to God.

Write down one small, intentional practice (think prayer, Scripture, silence, gratitude, etc.) that helps realign your heart. Then find practical ways to work it into your week.

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting - Day 12

Today’s Prayer Focus: To Love Fearlessly

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for being a God of perfect love. Thank you for loving me first - before I accepted your salvation, before I even knew you, while I was still living in sin. Teach me to love as you love, without fear or condemnation. Help me to offer grace to those around me, just as you first offered grace to me. Amen. 

Series Theme Verse:
Hebrews 2:1
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.

This post was written by Lori Tuckerman, Director of Content for the Daily LivingItOut.