Blog
Snow Days and Hearts that Lead Us Astray
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 by Sarah Schwerin
Instead of following me, my brother leaned over the raised cement pond and tapped on the ice. “It’s solid.” A mischievous smile filled his face.
Only a couple of feet across and about a foot deep, I didn’t even know what the pond’s use was, only that my friend’s mom told us to stay away.
I inspected the ice. “Let’s just go sledding.”
He pulled himself up and balanced on the pond’s edge. “But we can go ice skating instead.” He placed one snow boot on the surface.
What was that noise?
Then he placed his other boot next to the first. He turned and grinned at me. “See, it’s—”
The ice cracked, and he sank.
I helped to pull him out. We didn’t go sledding that day.
When did the problem start? Was it when my brother first saw the frozen pond or when he realized no one was home to stop his plan? Maybe it started when he suggested we go ice skating? Perhaps, when he climbed onto the ledge? Or the moment he placed his foot on the ice?
It can be hard to know when we are in danger until we fall into a situation, and no one is there to pull us out.
Solomon must have felt like he was drowning when God pronounced judgment on him.
“So the LORD said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates’” (1 Kings 11:11, NIV).
Like my brother, Solomon didn’t immediately fall into his situation. He made a series of decisions that led him away from God. He amassed seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. With every marriage and every relationship, his heart must have slowly turned away from his faith (1 Kings 11).
When I was a young teen, I too fell. I found myself drinking and taking drugs, but it didn’t just happen. Like Solomon and my brother, a string of events caused my fall. I had to trace the events backward to figure out where the problem had started.
Friends introduced me to the drinking and drugs. I chose to listen to them. Why? I believed no one wanted me and when someone showed me affection, I latched on and eagerly grasped their lifestyle.
When I stripped away the excuses, one thing remained: my heart. As a small child, I knew about God, how he loved me and wanted me to follow him, but I had turned my back on him and followed my own heart. I slipped away from my faith, bit by bit.
After I saw the effects the drugs and alcohol were having on my friends, I knew I couldn’t continue. I asked God to forgive me and followed Him.
Many times, bright and shiny things catch our attention. People, drinking, a post on social media, or something else may lead us astray and we realize we are on thin ice or worse, we’ve fallen in and no one is nearby.
When we find ourselves in such a situation, we have to trace our path backward and find out where the problem originated. Is it our heart? Are we serving God with our whole heart or a divided heart?
“Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of the nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison” (Deuteronomy 29:18, NIV).
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’” (Luke 4:8, NIV).
Comments
Debbie Wilson From USA At 4/15/2022 11:02:05 AM
Sarah, your story drew me in and provided a wise and gentle warning we can all relate to.Reply by: Sarah Schwerin
Thanks for reading.Annie Yorty From At 4/14/2022 4:22:11 PM
Sarah, such a powerful story with a great message. Thank you!Reply by: Sarah Schwerin
Thanks for reading.MICHAEL ANDERSON From At 4/14/2022 8:56:27 AM
Thoroughly enjoyed!Reply by: Sarah Schwerin
Thanks for reading.Previous Posts
A Curly Haired Girl
Sarah Schwerin
8/13/2024
For the Birds
Sarah Schwerin
7/9/2024
Too Much Adulting
Sarah Schwerin
6/11/2024
Ziplining The Canyon
Sarah Schwerin
5/14/2024
Book Review: Healing the Wounded Heart
Sarah Schwerin
4/9/2024
Unable to Relax?
Sarah Schwerin
3/12/2024
Who Am I?
Sarah Schwerin
2/13/2024
How's Your Heart
Sarah Schwerin
1/9/2024
The Frozen Ground of Christmas
Sarah Schwerin
12/19/2023
Book Review: Forgiving What You Can't Forget by Lysa TerKeurst
Sarah Schwerin
7/27/2023
What's Your Favorite Book?
Sarah Schwerin
7/13/2023
Overcoming Recurrent Hurts
Sarah Schwerin
6/22/2023
Book Review: #My Family Too! By Marlene Bagnull
Sarah Schwerin
5/25/2023
Second Breakfast
Sarah Schwerin
5/11/2023
Book Review: Hush by Nicole Braddock Bramley
Sarah Schwerin
4/27/2023
Unexpected and Unwanted
Sarah Schwerrin
4/13/2023
Books Review: We Too By Mary DeMuth
Sarah Schwerin
3/24/2023
An Envelope of Kindness
Sarah Schwerin
3/9/2023
Book Review: Healing For Damaged Emotions by David A. Seamands
Sarah Schwerin
2/23/2023
Misdirected Prayers
Sarah Schwerin
2/9/2023
Book Review: The Courage to Heal By: Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
Sarah Schwerin
1/26/2023
My Refuge: Where I Flee When Life is Hard
Sarah Schwerin
1/12/2023
Book Review - True North By: Dave Smith
Sarah Schwerin
12/29/2022
Oatmeal For Dinner
Sarah Schwerin
12/15/2022
Book Review of Rescuing Rose
Sarah Schwerin
11/28/2022
When Houses Fall
Sarah Schwerin
11/16/2022
An Invitation
Sarah Schwerin
9/21/2022
Planner Addict: What Happens When Plans Fail
Sarah Schwerin
9/16/2022
Fast Drivers and Two Brothers: When Life Isn't Fair
Sarah Schwerin
8/16/2022
Talking Birds
Sarah Schwerin
7/15/2022
Looking for a Leader: Reflections from the Gettysburg Battlefield
Sarah Schwerin
6/24/2022
Nap Hater: My Quest to Find Rest
Sarah Schwerin
5/3/2022
Dreams of Kenya
Sarah Schwerin
4/26/2022
Snow Days and Hearts that Lead Us Astray
Sarah Schwerin
4/13/2022
Can I Hide From God?
Sarah Schwerin
3/29/2022
Stitches and Waiting on God
Sarah Schwerin
3/25/2022
God’s Voice Or The Enemy’s?
By Sarah
3/3/2022
The Battles We Fight
By Sarah
3/3/2022
Drowning In Fear
By Sarah
3/2/2022
A Boring Bible Story, A Temple, And My Mom: A Devotion On Heaven
By Sarah
3/1/2022
Marriage Advice
By Sarah
2/28/2022
Does Idolatry Exist In Today’s World
By Sarah
2/27/2022
Underwear Blues
By Sarah
2/27/2022
A Voice In Chengdu
By Sarah
2/26/2022
Word Of The Year
By Sarah
2/25/2022
A New Year Challenge
By Sarah
2/24/2022
A Christmas Of Firsts And Lasts
By Sarah
2/23/2022
Christmas And The Suffering Servant: Hope For Abuse Survivors
By Sarah
2/22/2022
The Day I Stopped Watching Horror Movies
By Sarah - Life Lessons
2/21/2022
Waiting Arms
By Sarah
2/20/2022
I Messed Up, Again
By Sarah
2/19/2022
My Tribe: Autism Moms Are The Best
By Sarah
2/18/2022
When Words Wound
By Sarah
2/16/2022
Craving Acceptance
By Sarah
2/15/2022
When Innocent People Suffer
By Sarah
2/14/2022
Rubbish
By Sarah
2/12/2022
The Voices In My Head
By Sarah
2/11/2022
Buffets
By Sarah
2/10/2022
The Process Not The Product
By Sarah
2/9/2022
Hidden Snacks, Ice Cream, And Fairness
By Sarah
2/8/2022
Rootless
By Sarah
2/7/2022
You Never See The Potato Masher Coming
By Sarah
2/5/2022
Forgiveness
By Sarah
2/4/2022
The Unnamed Victim
By Sarah
2/1/2022
Engraved
By Sarah
1/31/2022
Left Handed Hero
By Sarah
1/30/2022
Quarantine Time
By Sarah
1/26/2022