We’ve all had the moment. Perhaps it occurred in the middle of a long drive. A warning light previously inert suddenly flicks on with an incandescent appeal for our attention. As a driver, my brain immediately begins processing what the warning means and what steps must be taken. But there’s one warning light that I have routinely ignored, and if you’ve driven long enough, you’re probably guilty of it too. Driving down the road I’ve often pretended not to notice the nagging glow of the check engine light for far longer than reason would allow. For many the glow is a daily reminder that something is amiss, but the car continues to move, and so we ignore it hoping it’s nothing too serious. Sometimes it isn’t, a simple twist of the gas cap and all is well, while other times it can mean a trip to the mechanic for more than the car is worth. More often the not the check engine light is an indication that something small is amiss and should be looked at before things become much much worse.
Just like the ‘check engine’ light in a car, our spiritual journey is filled with warning signals that we often choose to ignore. These warning lights are not mere glitches; they indicate deeper issues in our spiritual well-being. Some are even areas needing urgent attention before the problems begin to compound and the way out seems insurmountable.
Unlike our vehicles, where we might risk a breakdown and decide on the value later ignoring these warnings can lead to a shipwreck of faith and a complete disaster of the spirit.
The Warning Light of Absent Joy (Philippians 3:1)
Joy in our spiritual life is more than a fleeting emotion; it’s a deep-seated contentment that stems from our connection with God. So much so that almost an entire epistle is devoted to encouraging its growth and teaching Christians how to reinvent their joy in Christ like way.
Yet, it’s alarmingly easy for this joy to slip away. We’re often distracted by the allure and troubles of the world, causing us to lose sight of the joy that comes from our relationship with Jesus. Philippians 3:1 reminds us to “Rejoice in the Lord,” This repeated refrain serves as a reminder of how important the concept is to our Christian walk.
But amid life’s chaos, this joy can feel distant or even inappropriate. For many Christians, finding joy is a struggle a veritable battle of attrition against our fear, our worry, our distraction and our doubt.
Satan, of course, likes nothing more than capitalizes on this, using worldly distractions to pull our focus away from the divine. That’s why lacking true joy is such a big warning. When we can no longer feel a sense of grateful joy even in troubling circumstances it means that our present affliction feels neither momentary nor light and is drowning out the indescribable wonders that God has graciously provide for us.
Neglecting Prayer: A Critical Warning Sign (Psalm 32):
You know a warning light in your car is REALLY bad when it begins to flash and sound an audible alarm. And when we can avoid or even absent mindedly neglect prayer for days on end. It is just such a warning.
Prayer is our intimate conversation with God, our source of strength and solace. Yet, it’s astonishingly common to let this vital practice wane. The question is “why?”
It’s been said that the Devil doesn’t care if you believe in God so long as you don’t seek a relationship with Him. Satan often plants seeds of doubt, that keep us from pursuing divine connection. Whether it’s doubting prayers effectiveness making us believe our sins create a vast chasm between us and God, or that God is indifferent to our struggles.
This deception leads to a weakened prayer life. Psalm 32 speaks of the joy and liberation in God’s forgiveness, attainable through prayer. It’s also Why Paul urges the brethren in Thessalonica to both pray without ceasing and not to quench the Spirit. When we find ourselves neglecting prayer, it’s essential to recognize these doubts for what they are – falsehoods meant to isolate us from divine grace.
A Dusty Bible 2 Timothy 3:15-16
Every new car I’ve ever owned came with at least 3 owner’s manuals. One that explained the features of the car, one that provide maintenance and operation instruction, and a third that gives information I would need in an emergency or a break down. I keep those manuals in the glove box where they collect a fair amount of dust. I can say with one hundred percent certainty that except for the times that I’ve needed to know something, I’ve never read one.
The Bible is often compared to these kinds of manuals, and for many Christians we read it about as often and for the same reasons. We’ll read it to clarify truth, or when we feel something amiss in our lives, but many don’t make the Bible part of a daily relationship with the Lord.
Satan wants us to think of the Bible as something to be used in emergencies. He’s fine with us finding comfort in its words so long as we don’t look too closely or too often. He works subtly, nurturing apathy, contentment with our life as it is, and distraction.
When we do feel the pull to go to God’s word to discipline our walk, Satan is almost certainly there to lead us to seek answers elsewhere. This detachment can lead to a weakened grasp of our faith and its teachings.
When the People of God Aren’t a Necessity: (Hebrews 10:19-25)
In a world where individualism is celebrated, disconnection from our faith community is a significant warning light.
Isolation is one of Satan’s tactics to weaken our faith, as fellowship with other believers offers support and growth opportunities. It’s one of the aspects of our walk with Christ most often commended in scripture. A church is not just a group of people who worship together but a true community. A body that survives and thrives when each part is entuned to and serving the needs of the others.
The Devil loves it when we think of our church community in terms of how we are being served and filled up as opposed to how we can contribute to the spiritual wellbeing of others. He’s thrilled when our attendance seems like an obligation rather than a genuine pouring into our brethren of love and good works. And when we begin to question whether “I really need to be at every service,” he has us right where he wants us.
Operating on Autopilot: The Routine Trap (Matthew 15):
One of the most frustrating warning lights is the system that warns of lane departure. It’s too sensitive, and no on drives as straight as an arrow. Yet sometimes it can be a literal life saver. More than once I’ve been alerted to the need for rest because the annoying system chirped once too often.
My guess is most drivers silence this warning because it feels more like an annoyance or a nanny rather than a help. But silencing it doesn’t make us better drivers it merely quiets the warning of our inattention.
When our prayers, worship, and service become rote—devoid of the heartfelt devotion they deserve—this ought to be an indicator that something is breaking and quickly. This autopilot inattention, is precisely what Jesus criticizes in Matthew 15. The Pharisees’ adherence to tradition over transformative faith exemplifies the risk of mistaking motion for progress.
Breaking from this spiritual repetition requires intentionality: approaching our devotions with fresh eyes, seeking deeper meaning in scripture, and engaging with God in a dialogue that’s alive and dynamic. It’s in this vibrant practice that we find protection against the complacency that Satan so craftily promotes, ensuring that our faith is not merely an inherited artifact but a living testament to our love for God.
Following the Path of the World (Matthew 7:13-14)
Beware the broad way, crowded and well-trodden, where the lure of conformity beckons—the path of least resistance that leads away from the narrow gate. In Matthew 7, Jesus’s warning is clear: the majority may choose the easier route, but as followers of Christ, we’re called to discernment and courage.
Satan tempts us with promises of easy happiness, instant pleasure, and the comfort of ‘fitting in.’ Yet, this is the siren call to stray from our spiritual bearings. He dims the warning by surrounding us with others making the same choices confirming our bias with the familiar and the obvious so that we rarely if ever consider where our path is leading.
This beguiling way will seem to right to us at the time but if we do not exercise discernment we may find ourselves resisting every opportunity to turn back to the narrow way.
Conclusion
While there are other warning signs these five are big indicators that things are going dangerously amiss in our spiritual journey. It’s important that we not become complacent about their urgent glow, but to act quick and in faith so that our journey can continue safely, and so that we can have confidence in our ultimate destination.
To do otherwise risks not only momentary peril but eternal separation from our God.