Flood of Dissipation

1 Peter 4 talks about a "flood of dissipation."

In short, it says that we've spent enough time doing what pagans (people who don't know Christ) do, and living like they live. "They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation..."

So, I looked up the word, "dissipation," and it means: " mental distraction, amusement; diversion."

Hmmm....

Honestly, this brings to mind another flood. We've all heard from childhood the story of Noah and the Ark. God flooded the earth because of humanity's exceeding evils, but God first told Noah to build an ark. I've heard before that this ark would've been the size of 3 football fields! Can you imagine?! Sooo...it also stands to reason that it took a LONG time to build it. Don't you know that during that time, people thought Noah was crazy? He probably went years with people telling him and treating him like a lunatic...but then it started to rain, and it kept raining.

Noah gathered his family and the animals onto the ark as the earth began to flood. Can't you imagine that NOW those same people who had tortured him and teased him, ran to him, and probably tried to storm the ark, to get to safety.

It's not in the story...but can you imagine the trauma of that; the trauma of watching everyone on earth drown...and then the isolation of being trapped on a boat with family and a bunch of animals for a LOOONNNGGG time. We know it rained 40 days and 40 nights, but they were on that boat longer than that, because we know that Noah kept sending the dove out to search for land.

Can you imagine what that kind of trauma and isolation would do to a person?!

When I first started reading the Bible for myself, I was SHOCKED to keep reading about Noah after the flood. They never tell you in Sunday school that the first thing he did when he got off that boat was to plant a vineyard, and then he got drunk!! Honestly, can you blame him?

Anyone who has ever been through something stressful or difficult knows what the Bible is talking about when it says "dissipation;" "mental distraction." Amen?

Everytime I go through something stressful or difficult, my flesh and my emotions rise up and all I want to do is either overeat, overshop, veg out on the couch with a good movie or tv show...just lose myself into a distraction...a flood of dissipation. I've battled it this week...I've lost a couple of times. We want comfort so badly.

The important thing is keep reading though. Noah messed up! His drunkeness started a chain reaction, which led to curses for his sons, and division for his family. WHAT FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT THING ISN'T ALWAYS THE BEST THING!

It might feel good right now to overeat...but it's not ultimately what I want! If I let my emotions rule me, then I will miss what God wants me to learn...what he wants me to have, in the end.

So...what is your flood of dissipation?! It could be anything, and that seemingly harmless activity could be keeping you numb to what God wants you to feel...what he wants you to heal.

"The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."