I recently heard adulthood is a never ending perpetual cycle of waiting for life to calm down, then you die.

Is that you? Right now life is busy and hectic, it’s uncertain and stressed, it’s not what you envisioned it being at this stage … but when it calms down, whew doggies look out, you’re gonna live! You’re going to start really living one day. You’ll sit and sip your coffee in pure delight. You’ll have time and energy. You will be proud of yourself and walk with confidence. Oh yes, that day is coming, that day when life calms down and gets better and you can be truly happy, and when it does, you’re going to live!

No. You’re. Not!

The very heartbeat of life is a rhythm of ups and downs, when it calms down your ride is over sister. We’re saving up our happy for an imaginary destination in this life that doesn’t exist.

Right here, right now, this is where you can live. Yes, this season of life, this one with it’s chaos and messes, disappointments and circumstances far short of perfection, this is where living happens. In the absence of calm is where you find the living.

It’s a nasty ploy of the enemy to convince you that sometime in the future you will have the time, energy and resources to do the things you want to do with your life. When life calms down and things get better … then.

The truth is, we’re living perfectly good days of life in survival mode, in the absence of a crisis. Hey listen to me, that crisis may come and you may need to just get through it, but if your life is free of an absolute undeniable crisis today, then you better be living!

The enemy’s plan is to kill, steal and destroy. Never lose sight of that. Has he been killing your happiness, stealing your joy, destroying your TODAY with a focus on another day? Oh how he tricks us into missing today because of the worries of tomorrow, or missing today because of the hopes that somehow a future tomorrow will be better than the one we ended up with today.

Ephesians 5: 15-16 NKJV, “See then that you walk circumspectly (carefully and intentionally), not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Redeeming the time … what an interesting phrase. The specific Greek word used here for time didn’t just mean day after day, it meant a specific portion of time where something should happen. THE TIME is a season of opportunity we must redeem.

My sister, today is part of your season of opportunity and you’re supposed to be redeeming this. THE TIME is now. Do something with it. Don’t let this just pass. How are you using this specific time for the glory of God? How are you using this time for things of eternal impact?

You can’t wait for better days. Here’s how we know for sure this is THE time we’re called to live intentionally – because indeed, the days are evil. There’s a whole lot of crazy, scary crap going on out there. That’s absolutely no surprise. This is THE TIME for you to live intentionally and redeem the time. How are you going to show Jesus in this?

The NLT puts it like this, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.”

How do fools live? They miss opportunities. They don’t show up for life. Be careful how you live and make the most of every opportunity. Today is full of opportunities … what will you do with them? What if your response to today’s opportunities determine tomorrow’s offering? Yes, what if future opportunities are earned through using, enjoying, and savoring that which has already been given to us?

I used to think if I didn’t intentionally live my life, then my life just WOULDN’T be lived. Now I know that’s not true. We will still live. We will still exist. If you don’t intentionally live your life, your life WILL just live itself. It will go on with or without your intentional effort. You’ll drift through life. And you know what happens when you drift … invevitably, you end up wrecked on some shore you never wanted to be on. And here we are, these miraculous beings who are the masterpieces of the almighty creator, just letting life live itself. Drifting. Lost.

We’re just here, but not fully here. We’re showing up, but not bringing the best of us. Where is the best of us? Buried under layers of regret, guilt, shame and laziness. Dang it’s hard to even recognize the masterpiece with all we’ve layered on.

But, it’s in there. Our potential is still in there. Our destiny is still available. Our purpose still calls. And if we’re breathing today, that means we have an opportunity to show up and start really living. On purpose. Intentionally. Like we mean it!

When will we decide we won’t just let our lives live themselves any longer? When will we harness the power our creator has given us and WAKE UP? When will we live like we mean it?

Deuteronomy 30: 19-20, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.”

Well, it couldn’t be any clearer. It’s right there. This is the key to your life. Will you choose it?

God has given you the power to choose. Choose well. Choose your direction. Choose your attitude. Choose your next step. Choose your mood.

What will you choose today?

One day life will calm day. Yes it will. The moment after that final breath is real calm. I hope you’re not waiting for that. I hope you will decide to take this day with it’s ups and downs, it’s imperfections, it’s stresses and messes, it’s busy schedule and endless demands, it’s disappointments and surprises, and LIVE IT.

The key to your life is to make the choice to LOVE God, OBEY him, and COMMIT yourself fully to him.

Listening today are women who have stories. Some are widows who have lost their husbands, some are broken because their husbands were unfaithful, some are still healing from the pain of an unimaginable childhood, some have lost children, lost jobs, or lost their happiness, or lost themselves. But they’re here today seeking to live. Seeking to show up in the middle of their reality and be faithful with the cards they have been dealt.

The women listening today are going to play their hand … will that be you? This is what our God expects of us.

When will life calm down … when we die.
When will we live … today!

Live intentionally today, redeem the time. Make the most of every opportunity. Yes, the days are evil … that’s why it’s so important for you step out and show Jesus!

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