Dead or Alive? 

I’m sitting beside a quiet creek on this crisp October morning, watching the leaves drift down from the trees and land softly on the water’s surface. The breeze stirs them, and they begin to float downstream—carried by the current, with no effort of their own.

Every so often, I notice a flicker beneath the clear water—a fish darting upstream or a little crawdad moving against the flow. While the dead leaves are swept along effortlessly, these living creatures push and fight against the current. Why? They have life. They have direction.

It makes me think: in our own lives, are we alive and moving with purpose? Or have we grown weary and started drifting—just floating along with whatever current our lives provide? It’s easy to be carried away by popular thought, pressures, or the chaos of daily life. 

But Jesus brings life.
If you’ve been feeling pushed around by fear, anxiety, or the chaos around or inside you, it might be time to ask Him to breathe life back into you—to awaken your desire to stand firm and swim against the current.

Romans 12:2 (Phillips Translation) says:
“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within.”

There are strong currents that want to shape us, pull us, and push us downstream. But God gives new life—He gives us the strength and desire to resist and move in His direction.

So how do we start?
First, realize if you’ve been drifting. Acknowledge that you’ve been letting other forces carry you away. Then turn around—that’s what repentance means. It’s choosing to go a different way.

Ephesians 6:13 tells us to stand with all kinds of fighting gear on.  That means reawakening the muscles of faith that may have grown weak. Pray. Seek God’s help. Gather with other believers. Read and meditate on His Words. Ask for His grace and strength to take small steps forward.

As you do, you’ll find that the more you push against the current, the stronger you become. Because you’re no longer drifting—you’re alive.