Welcome to Chapter 3 of ROW Against the Flow: The Practice of Repentance. This week, we’re exploring how repentance isn’t just a one-time act, but an ongoing, life-giving practice—a rhythm that brings us back to God over and over, freeing us from shame and opening us to grace.

Chapter Focus: Repentance as a Lifestyle

In this chapter, we look at repentance as the invitation to turn back to God, not out of guilt or legalism, but because of His kindness and the promise of new life. We discover:

• Repentance is an act of trust, not punishment—God welcomes us every time we turn toward Him.
• Unbelief is often the root of our struggles. When we believe lies about God or ourselves, our hearts wander—but repentance realigns us with truth.
• True repentance brings freedom: instead of hiding our mistakes, we bring them to Jesus (“Lord, I need you”), and He covers us with forgiveness and hope.
• The daily practice of turning back—rather than running away—keeps our hearts soft and our lives aligned with God’s love.

You’ll find stories, biblical encouragement, and practical steps to help you embrace repentance, not as a chore, but as a blessing.

Let’s Talk: Conversation Prompts

After reading Chapter 3, let’s share and reflect:

• What holds you back from practicing repentance regularly?
• Can you remember a time when turning back to God brought you unexpected relief or freedom?
• How does it shift your perspective to see repentance as an act of trust, rather than something to dread?
• Where might God be inviting you to repentance—big or small—this week?

You’re welcome to answer one, several, or simply offer your personal takeaway. Your honesty could bless and encourage others!

What’s Next?

• Read ahead: The full PDF is available if you want to keep going, or come back next week for Chapter 4.
• Invite a friend: These chapters are great for group or individual reflection—who might you invite into the journey?
• Stay connected: We’ll keep working through practical, encouraging ways to ROW against the flow, together.

Thank you for pressing into grace and growth. Let’s help each other walk this road—one honest step at a time.

Chapter 3: Disaster in Paradise

In 2015, I led a group of middle schoolers on a white water rafting trip. We were on the Deschutes river, in Eastern Oregon, enjoying our paddle when the rafts went over a waterfall. Most rafts did fine but one raft circled back toward the waterfall. The rest of us caught the current to go down stream and had all the paddling power our raft guide needed to keep us safe. This group of particularly small middle school girls struggled mightily against the circular vortex and one by one the waterfall would unseat the girls and sweep them down the river. Only now does it seem at all humorous and I was certainly glad the company required that every participant wore a helmet. In chapter one, we talked about our life choices that keeps circling us around and picking us off. We just don’t have the power we think to be able to get out of the whirlpool.

This adventure isn’t just a fun story – it’s a perfect picture of our struggle with sin. Just like those girls caught in the whirlpool, we often find ourselves trapped in cycles of bad choices, unable to break free on our own.

We think we have the power to paddle out, but the current of sin is stronger than we realize. 

Have you ever watched a friend get sucked into this whirlpool of sin? Maybe they’re a Christian, maybe not, but you can see them spiraling deeper into captivity. It reminds me of something my pastor used to say: “Sin takes you further than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and costs you far more than you want to pay.” I’ve seen this play out countless times in people’s lives, including my own.

In this chapter, we’ll explore the origins of our spiritual battle, tracing it back to the Garden of Eden. We’ll examine how the fall of humanity has affected our relationship with God and our susceptibility to sin, setting the stage for the ongoing spiritual warfare we face today.

The Garden of Eden Story and Its Implications

In the beginning, God created a perfect world and placed humans in a garden paradise. Adam and Eve enjoyed unbroken fellowship with God and had the freedom to choose within the boundaries He set. However, this idyllic situation didn’t last.

Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard; but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.’ ” The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. — Genesis 3:1-7

The serpent, representing Satan, approached Eve with a cunning question: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?” This simple question planted seeds of doubt about God’s goodness and His intentions.

The enemy’s tactic hasn’t changed much since then – he still tries to make us question God’s character and commands. As if to say, “God is holding out on you and He doesn’t have your best interests in mind. If you want something you have to reach out and take it.”

Eve’s response revealed that she knew God’s instruction, but the serpent twisted the truth, promising that eating the forbidden fruit would make them “like God.” This appeal to their desire for autonomy – to be their own gods – proved too tempting to resist.

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their eyes were opened, but not in the way they expected. They became aware of their nakedness, symbolizing their new vulnerability and separation from God. This act of disobedience introduced death to humanity and sin into the world, with far-reaching consequences for all of creation.

The Progression of Sin

The disaster in Eden set in motion a progression of sin that affects us all. James describes this process:

But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. — James 1:14-16

This progression often follows a pattern:

1. Temptation: We encounter an opportunity to disobey God.
2. Desire: Our internal longing for something contrary to God’s will grows.
3. Action: We give in to the temptation and commit sin.
4. Death: Sin leads to spiritual death and separation from God.

Understanding this progression can help us identify and interrupt the cycle before it leads to sin and its consequences.

The Eternal Trajectory

Everyone has a trajectory and we’re learning to let Jesus interrupt that trajectory every day. If it’s not interrupted we’ll continue along with our culture that tells us to look inward for meaning and purpose and fulfillment. 

Those who turn inward also turn downward and that trajectory is eternal. Those who through allegiance to Jesus turn upward to our Creator for identity, purpose, satisfaction also turn outward toward others. That trajectory is also eternal.

Those who love God, love others. Those who trust themselves more than God, worship themselves as a god. Self-worship leads to all kinds of sin attaching us to the enemy of our soul.

• The Vortex of Idolatry: Just as the raft was caught in a circular vortex, our disordered desires can trap us in a degenerative cycle of idolatry. We keep circling back to the same false gods, unable to break free on our own.
• Powerlessness Against the Current: We’ve been like the small middle school girls struggling against the vortex in our inability to overcome sin and idolatry through our own strength. We must have Christ’s power to break free from vicious cycles and interrupt our trajectory. 
• The Danger of Being Unseated: As the waterfall unseated the girls one by one, idolatry can gradually erode our spiritual foundation, eventually causing us to lose our footing in our allegiance to Jesus.
• The Importance of Protection: The helmets that protected the rafters can represent the spiritual armor we need to guard against the dangers of idolatry and spiritual warfare. 

Practical Application: R.O.W. in Action

Repent: 

• Acknowledge areas where you’ve sought autonomy from God or turned to modern idols.
• Confess your tendency to doubt God’s goodness or question His commands.

Obey:

• Identify one area where you can actively submit to God’s authority today. Write it down.
• Choose a modern idol in your life and take a concrete step to dethrone it.

Worship:

• Thank God for His perfect design and the freedom He gives within His boundaries.
• Praise God for His patience and love, even when we fall short.

Conclusion

The disaster in Eden may have occurred long ago, but its effects continue to shape our spiritual reality today. By understanding the progression of sin and recognizing modern forms of idolatry, we can better equip ourselves for the spiritual battles we face. Remember, while the consequences of human rebellion are severe, they are not the end of the story. God’s redemptive plan, which we will explore in the next chapter, offers hope and restoration.

Reflection

1. How do you see the pattern of temptation described in James 1:14-16 playing out in your own life?
2. What are some subtle forms of idolatry you’ve noticed in your own heart or in the culture around you?
3. How can understanding the fall and its consequences help you in your daily spiritual battles?
4. The chapter uses the rafting analogy to emphasize our powerlessness against the current of sin. What specific cycles of bad choices or idolatry do you feel caught in, and how does recognizing your inability to “paddle out” motivate you to rely on Christ’s power?
5. The enemy’s tactic in Eden was to make humans question God’s intentions, saying, “God is holding out on you.” Where in your life are you currently tempted to believe that God is holding out on you, and how can you counter this deception with truth?
6. The chapter discusses an “eternal trajectory.” How can you ensure your daily choices reflect a trajectory that is “upward” (toward God) and “outward” (toward others), rather than an “inward” or “downward” trajectory of self-worship?
7. What is one thing you’ll do this week to stop the Trajectory of Sin in your life?

Prayer Focus

Heavenly Father, we come before You humbled by the reality of our fallen nature and the consequences of sin in our world. We acknowledge our tendency to doubt Your goodness and seek autonomy from Your perfect will.

Lord, give us discernment to recognize the progression of sin in our lives. Help us to identify temptation early and turn to You for strength to resist. Open our eyes to see the subtle idols we’ve allowed to take root in our hearts.

We confess our disordered desires and ask for Your help in reordering our loves and our lives. Teach us to worship You alone, dethroning any false gods we’ve elevated in our lives. 

Grant us the courage to submit to Your authority in every area of our lives. When the current of culture pulls us away from You, give us the strength to ROW against the flow.

Thank You for Your patience with us and for Your redemptive plan that offers hope even in the face of our failures. Help us to live in light of this hope, fighting our daily spiritual battles with the confidence that You are with us and for us 

We pray for wisdom to recognize the world, the flesh, and the devil at work in our lives. Give us discernment to see beyond surface-level temptations to the deeper idolatries of our hearts.

Father, we ask for Your protection against the spiritual forces that seek to exploit our weaknesses. Strengthen our resolve to resist the enemy’s schemes and to cling to Your truth.

Help us to be honest with ourselves and with trusted brothers and sisters in Christ about our struggles. Give us the humility to confess our sins and the faith to believe in Your forgiveness and cleansing power.

Lord, we pray for a renewed mind that sees the world as You see it. Transform our desires so that we long for You above all else. May our hearts be satisfied in You alone.

Finally, we ask that You would use our understanding of the fall and its consequences to make us more compassionate towards others who are caught in sin’s grip. Let our lives be a testimony to Your redeeming grace.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Get the Spiritual Formation Series on Amazon

The complete series is available in both Kindle and Paperback editions. Buy on Amazon Available worldwide. Choose your preferred format on the Amazon page.