There is a pattern which failed businesses generally follow. It begins with a period of gradual decline, followed by sudden failure. Gradual, then sudden.
This process of “gradual, then sudden” is often true of a failing church, family, or even a failing nation. As I think on this, I see that my entire lifetime I have witnessed a gradual decline of morality, respect, and the fear of God in society, but now I feel like we’ve suddenly fallen off a cliff, racing to the bottom as we now celebrate new levels of wickedness.
Recognizing this pattern of “gradual, then sudden” could lead to discouragement and even despair, but it doesn’t have to. Just as a business on the decline or even in sudden freefall can still recover by making the right changes, as Christians, we can still make a difference right up till our last day on earth. God tells us how. In Ephesians 5:16, He says that when the days are evil, we must redeem the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day.” He and his wife, Carrie, live in Salisbury, NC, with several of their 12 children.
