My inbox reminds me of a certain space on our kitchen counter where things appear “out of nowhere”. However, today one of the many emails was a golden nugget from Chuck Swindoll. It came via his blog to pastors, but even though it’s written to ministers, it’s very applicable to all believers. It was a great reminder to pause and evaluate my attitude. Perhaps you would like to do the same. Consider this excerpt:

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“My maternal granddad was the most influential adult in my life as I grew up. One day he said to me, “I want to explain something to you.” And he used a big word I had never heard before: erosion. The bank that dropped off into the bay was continually being eaten away by the pounding waves and rainy weather. We walked over near the edge, and he measured a certain distance from that point to where the bank dropped off down to the water. He drove a stake into the ground. “You’re going to be here next summer,” he told me, “and we’ll measure this again then.”…

No one I’ve worked with in ministry who has fallen morally sat on the side of his bed one morning and thought, Let’s see, now, how can I ruin my life? How can I implode my reputation? Erosion doesn’t happen like that. It is always silent; it is always slow; it is always subtle. But its final blow is always severe.”

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Chuck then goes on to mention Paul’s words, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” –
1 Corinthians 10:12

Every day is a good day to evaluate what’s influencing our thinking because the consequences of anger, bitterness, pride, greed, and lust may have different roots, but the fruit is always the same…loss. May we prayerfully stay ahead of the erosion, and stand firm on the solid ground of God’s daily renewal (Romans 12:1-2).

– You can find the complete original post from Chuck Swindoll by clicking here