Continuing

1 Kings 15:34 But he did what was evil in the LORD’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. It was a sad time in Israel's history, with one bad king after another. King Baasha followed the poor example of Jeroboam, and continued the sinful ways of the prior king. The word "continued" really sticks out in my mind today. Continuing can be a really good thing, or a really bad thing. It really depends on the path that you are on. If you are growing and maturing in the Lord, continuing is exactly where you need to be. On the other hand, if you are rebelling, or stagnant in your relationship with Him, the last thing you need to do is to continue. So ask yourself this question: "If I continue with the way things are now, will it be good for me or bad?" Insanity is defined by doing the same things over and over again, but expecting different results. It is often easier to continue than it is to stop and go the other way. As a kid, I remember swimming in a pool with friends, and we would all walk in a circle near the sides of the pool. After a few minutes, there would be a current of water moving, and you could float and let the current take you continually around the pool. It was easy to go with the flow. What was hard was trying to walk or swim against the current. It was extremely difficult and very exhausting. When it comes to our spiritual life, swimming against the current of this world is impossible without the Spirit. But with God's help, we can discontinue the sins of our past, and begin a new life that our children and grandchildren can continue.