“It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away.
It’s a slow fade when black and white turn to grey…People never crumble in a day,
Daddies never crumble in a day,
Families never crumble in a day”
–Slow Fade, Casting Crowns
How did I get here? Have you ever asked yourself that question when stuck in some sin that you just can’t seem to get out of? This song cuts me right to the heart. To be honest, I almost cried the first time I heard it. The description of the song in the liner notes is just as convicting: “This song was inspired by the spreading cancer of moral failure in the fathers of this generation. As believers, we must guard our hearts and understand that no one crashes and burns. They just slowly fade away one little compromise at a time.”
Look around and this becomes painfully clear. One brother in my congregation was just recently caught in the act of adultery by his wife. Another was just caught looking at pornography by his wife. Both bring up the question, what else is going on in my brothers’ and sisters’ lives that I don’t know, that no one else sees. But I can’t be self righteous either. I also need to ask myself, what little compromises am I making? My temper, my language, my lack of patience and kindness- where will they lead if I just let them continue? How slowly will I fade?
“[L]et us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” (Heb 12:1)
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-15)
“Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” (Eph 4:19)