Wisdom Struggle
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” - Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV
This passage just sort of jumped off the the page at me today and made me ponder life and the choices that we make.
I know there are many of us (especially men, for some reason) who struggle with choices... who struggle living as wise instead of unwise. For some reason, we want to be wise, we like to portray ourselves as being wise (vs being foolish or unwise), yet we all have some fatal flaw, which usually revolves around ego and selfishness.
So, hidden to most, we struggle making wise decisions. We struggle and fight somewhere deep inside, inside some compartment that is locked away from everyone except us. Longing for wisdom, longing to make the most of every opportunity, longing to live a life that is honoring to Christ.
Yet, we live on day by day... even seeking God, even praying, as we struggle with our self made flaw and never fully give it over to God.
As I think of my own flaws, my mind goes back to King Solomon.
Solomon became king at a young age. Taking on leadership and responsibilities of a much older man. He could have prayed for riches, treasures and wealth, but he did not. He prayed for wisdom. And the Lord gave it to him abundantly, along with great wealth. All because he gave himself to the Lord and prayed wholeheartedly to the Lord.
That doesn’t mean that if we give ourselves and our flaws completely to the Lord that we will not struggle and stumble, or that the struggles will somehow just go away and disappear (though they could). However, it does mean that our heart is completely His, making Him not only Savior but also Lord. And with Jesus truly Lord, that’s the first wise decision we make that leads to living a wise life.
And the more we seek Him, the more we will know Him and worship Him and desire to be more like Him, and thus begin to know His will for us.
In other words, Jesus wants all of us... even the little (or big) compartments that we lock away from the rest of the world. He wants our laughter and good times, and He wants our struggles and down times. He is Savior. He is Lord.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
