Ephesians 5:15-16
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
PRAYER
Gracious God, I want to be brave and engage in the life you have for me. Grow me in courage, and give me the wisdom I need to follow your lead even when I’m afraid. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Additional Devotions
Our scripture isn’t shy about calling us to the carpet of personal responsibility. Be careful. Be wise. And be discerning. Three rules of engagement to live the abundant life Christ died to give us (John 10:10b).
This begs the question: How are you taking responsibility for your life? Are you showing up in your relationships? On your job? In parenting? Self-care? Your faith? Are you making the most of the opportunities you are given, or simply slipping into the comfort of auto-pilot living?
One thing I know to be true about life and leaning hard into it is that it takes courage! Courage to acknowledge our emotions, control our reactions, and take ownership in difficult situations. It’s a willingness to show up and be vulnerable.
So what keeps us from truly living…out loud…on purpose… and on full tilt? Most likely, fear is at the top of your list.
Vulnerability is often the prerequisite to courage because it’s not the absence of fear that makes one courageous; rather, it’s choosing to act in spite of our fear. And we can’t do that if we are unwilling to be vulnerable. You see, it takes transparency and honesty to face our fears and overcome them with action. That, my friend, is true courage.
Life is short. That is a fact. Let’s not waste any more time bowing down to fear. Instead, let’s go hard after those things in life that are calling us to courage. Perhaps it’s time to step out and be brave about something.
But before taking the first brave step it’s paramount to pray for wisdom. Why? Because prayer is not only a privilege, it is a weapon.
Truth is, we need divine help to live wisely and make the most of every opportunity. We need His power to do that which we couldn’t do in our own strength. We need His presence to show us the way in which to go. And we need a spiritual sense of His purpose to motivate us through the trials that are sure to come our way.
Prayer is power. Prayer is personal. And prayer is positional. Prayer is what will take us to next level living.
Our scripture ends with a warning—the days are evil. It’s a reminder to be cautious, alert, and careful as we engage in the full life God has for us. These will serve as a necessary guardrails as we are presented with opportunities for a deeper life. Develop stronger connections to others. And acquire a more targeted spiritual purpose.
God has some big plans for you. Take courage and lean into life this week. In doing so, you will discover a new dimension of who God created you to be and a new level of the life you were meant to live.
Remember, you are not alone. Have a blessed week, be brave and lean into the life God has for you!
Rules of Engagement
Monday, May 3, 2019
Verse for the Week: Ephesians 5:15-16, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
Our scripture isn’t shy about calling us to the carpet of personal responsibility. Be careful. Be wise. And be discerning. Three rules of engagement to live the abundant life Christ died to give us (John 10:10b).
This begs the question: How are you taking responsibility for your life? Are you showing up in your relationships? On your job? In parenting? Self-care? Your faith? Are you making the most of the opportunities you are given, or simply slipping into the comfort of auto-pilot living?
One thing I know to be true about life and leaning hard into it is that it takes courage! Courage to acknowledge our emotions, control our reactions, and take ownership in difficult situations. It’s a willingness to show up and be vulnerable.
So what keeps us from truly living…out loud…on purpose… and on full tilt? Most likely, fear is at the top of your list.
Vulnerability is often the prerequisite to courage because it’s not the absence of fear that makes one courageous; rather, it’s choosing to act in spite of our fear. And we can’t do that if we are unwilling to be vulnerable. You see, it takes transparency and honesty to face our fears and overcome them with action. That, my friend, is true courage.
Life is short. That is a fact. Let’s not waste any more time bowing down to fear. Instead, let’s go hard after those things in life that are calling us to courage. Perhaps it’s time to step out and be brave about something.
But before taking the first brave step it’s paramount to pray for wisdom. Why? Because prayer is not only a privilege, it is a weapon.
Truth is, we need divine help to live wisely and make the most of every opportunity. We need His power to do that which we couldn’t do in our own strength. We need His presence to show us the way in which to go. And we need a spiritual sense of His purpose to motivate us through the trials that are sure to come our way.
Prayer is power. Prayer is personal. And prayer is positional. Prayer is what will take us to next level living.
Our scripture ends with a warning—the days are evil. It’s a reminder to be cautious, alert, and careful as we engage in the full life God has for us. These will serve as a necessary guardrails as we are presented with opportunities for a deeper life. Develop stronger connections to others. And acquire a more targeted spiritual purpose.
God has some big plans for you. Take courage and lean into life this week. In doing so, you will discover a new dimension of who God created you to be and a new level of the life you were meant to live.
Prayer:
Gracious God, I want to be brave and engage in the life you have for me. Grow me in courage, and give me the wisdom I need to follow your lead even when I’m afraid. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Remember, you are not alone. Have a blessed week, be brave and lean into the life God has for you!
Dori