Ephesians 5:15-17

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

When I start to look at this verse, a few things jump out to me. First, the fact that it says the days are evil. Second, where it says to understand what the Lord’s will is. When I think of the days being evil, it makes me think of how the world is so dark and far away from God’s promises. We only have one life, God has given us the opportunity to glorify Him through it. We should take advantage of the time we have living for the Lord, obeying His promises, and following His wise instruction. It is so easy to get caught up in the things of the world and want to fall into those sins instead of following God. Sin is pleasurable for a time, but eventually it will all fade and you will be left alone in the darkness of sin. The Lord gives us His light so that we don’t have to be trapped in the darkness. Our flesh can’t get us through the trials of this life. The world is a dark place, the Lord can shine through us and be a light in this darkness.

In Romans 2:2 it says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We are called to flow against the stream and be in this world but not of it. God transforms us when He dwells in us and we are chasing after Him just waiting on what He has next. In Ephesians when it talks about knowing the Lords will, that doesn’t mean that we should try and figure out every detail of what God wants for our life. Understanding His will simply means to walk in His promises and commandments, and step by step He will show you what’s next. He won’t let us get off the path He has for us, His plan is perfect.

Both aspects in this verse are hard for me to live out. I become so afraid of what others will think of me that I fall into the world and conform to its standards. I also have trouble trusting that God has a perfect plan for me, and that it will be better than I could ever imagine. I want to plan it all out and know what’s coming next. The Lord has been teaching me that I can trust in His plan. He knows me inside and out. He will never leave me, no matter how alone I feel. He is constantly there for me and I must remember that when my flesh is weak, His Spirit is strong in me. My application for this is to ask two people how the Lord has been speaking to them.