How Did I Get Here?

By Aaron Bull
Guest Writer

CBN.com - Let me pose a question maybe a few. If I told you that you were going to gain 10 pounds tomorrow when you woke up, would you wake up? What if I asked you to become a drug dealer? What if I said you were going to get a divorce? How about I ask you to lie to your family? Would you do it? Would you do any of the last few questions I asked? I would imagine that everyone's answer would be a resounding no. However, we do it everyday. Let me elaborate.

I recently met with our church teen group. We had a great meeting. The Holy Spirit was really moving -- in the teens and the adults. After our share time I asked the teens to get into small groups, be transparent with each other, and pray for each other's needs.

The prayer time went great. The adults got together as well and prayed for some of the teen's needs.

After we were done praying I walked around to see how everyone was doing. It was great. The teens were really opening up to each other. I was very moved by what the Holy Spirit was doing, not only in me, but also in the teens. Basically, I wanted to see if I could help in any way. I stopped at one group and talked with a guy who shared about the lows we can get to. I told him how much I appreciated what he had shared and noted that we always ask ourselves how we get to those low points in our lives.

So I posed a question. I asked them if they would take cocaine tomorrow if someone asked them to. Of course they all said no. I agreed. Then I gave them a scenario to show them how they could get to that point, and told them how each step was larger than the last. Here's what I shared with them.

This, of course if from a teen's point of view, but it DOES NOT apply only to teens. Give me just a few moments to make my point.

Let's say I'm into skateboarding, but have never done it before. I make friends with a guy who knows how to skate. He shows me some tricks and we become good friends. One day he asks me if I want to take a drag from his cigarette. I figure he's my friend, why would he point me in the wrong direction? A little while later, I'm hooked. Then one day he offers me some pot. There's no harm in doing it. I mean, he's my friend. We've had some great times together. So I agree to do it. Then before I know it, guess what? I'm doing cocaine, have been kicked out of school, have lost my friends, can't get along with anyone, including my parents, etc I think that may be that slippery slope people talk about. I've just stepped on it and over it.

Now, back to all of my audience. The scenario I presented doesn't only happen with teens and drugs. Have you gained some weight lately and don't fully understand where it came from? Have you lied to your family or in your business life? Have you told God no, even in a soft/nice/ignorant way by not doing what He's asked you to do?

We all have. No one's free of that sin.

Am I suggesting that it's always going to snowball like that? Of course not. However, it's the little things that seem benign that catch us asking ourselves, hopefully, somewhere down the line, "How did that happen? How did I get here?"

What's my point in all of this? The obvious, but sometimes elusive fact that we have to be careful! All it takes is one more thing. It always starts as something small. Something that's easy to hide if need be and before we know it, it's become something so huge that we don't know what to do. Many times it escalates into something so huge that it becomes a repeated cycle, a.k.a. a catch-22.

Who's responsible? We are, but Satan's got a starring role as well. He's going to do everything in his power to destroy us either by failure, lies, deceit, destruction, the little things, etc. Is he not the author of destruction? He most certainly is. So watch out. Will that little harmless thing you're considering be possibly the snowball in hell everyone talks about? I'm pretty certain it is. So before that next step happens, stop and think about it. Will this become something bigger than what it looks like right now? So think about your actions before you get to the point when you ask, "How did I get here?"

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).

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