You Wish This Week Were Over

  Eph 5:15  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

  Eph 5:16  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

  Eph 5:17  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

There are some Mondays that I wake up in the morning and feel like Simba off The Lion King; I wake up in a gorge and there is a mass of angry, frightened, hurried wildebeest headed my direction.

Normally I will respond one of two ways:

I will change into a groundhog and run back in my hole because I did not see my shadow.

I will run for my live hoping that that I will find some small canyon or outlet to avoid being trampled.

But, I think the Scriptures offer a third alternative:

I could run at the stampede.

You saw correctly. When we get out of bed on Monday morning and we feel life’s many decisions, obstacles, and people bearing down on us; maybe we should not hide or run away, but move forward.

Because, whether we want to admit it or not, God may have purposely allowed a really sucky week to arrive on our calendar; for some it may be a sucky month, year, or decade. If we are just victims of life’s relentless currents and undertows then we are justified wishing these times away; no one can impugn our honor if we hide and run away.

But, if God has orchestrated life to where the results of our sin drenched world are to be transformed for his glory, then we cannot hide or run away. We have to stop being foolish (rebellious, unteachable, hard-hearted) and we need to understand what the will of the Lord is. That is the only way to be wise and to redeem the evil 

days (weeks, months, years) that this life throws our way.

What is the will of the Lord?

The will of the Lord is for us to be conformed to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:29)

The will of the Lord is for us to use this transformation to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19)

The will of the Lord is not some puzzle we need unlock; it is not some mysterious destiny that you somehow bump into. The will of the Lord is for you to become like Jesus Christ and to make Jesus Christ known to everyone else.

So, when you and I wake on Monday morning and we see life charging at us at full speed, killer instinct engaged; we need to be wise and pursue becoming like Jesus by facing the circumstances, obstacles, and people seeking to crush us. By doing so, our response shows his glory in us and we are used to make his name great among the nations.

Redeem the time; it’s the only time you have before eternity.

Grace and Peace

How does understanding what God wants to do with a bad week affect your response to the circumstances?