Don’t Miss The Moment | Pastor Todd Johnson
Life is filled with fleeting moments, but how many do we recognize as God-given opportunities? The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 5:15-17, emphasizes living with awareness, seizing opportunities, and aligning with God’s will. Let’s dive into what it means to live intentionally and make the most of the moments God places in our path.
Living with Purpose and Awareness
Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:15 urge us: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” This call to be “careful” is about living thoughtfully, with purpose. It’s easy to drift through life, but each day presents unique opportunities to impact the world around us. Do you approach each day as an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love and grace?
- Intentional Living: Being purposeful means recognizing that every action, every conversation, and every relationship can be a chance to shine God’s light. Instead of letting the days pass by, we should aim to live with focus and clarity, always aware of the impact we can make.
- God Works Through Us: Feeling inadequate to engage in deeper spiritual conversations or share your faith is natural. But as Philippians 2:13 reminds us, “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” God is the one doing the heavy lifting when we step out in faith.
Seizing Every Opportunity
Paul continues in Ephesians 5:16, “Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Recognizing the brevity of life is essential. Each moment has eternal significance, and in a world filled with distractions, it’s crucial to stay alert to the opportunities God gives us to share His love.
- Look for Open Doors: Opportunities to share your faith might come in unexpected places. It could be a conversation with a co-worker, a friend in need, or even a stranger at the grocery store. Every interaction is a chance to reflect God’s love.
- A Real-Life Example: Consider a story shared in the sermon about a man named Andre, a stranger met at a sandwich shop. He shared his life story, and in that moment, a simple gesture of kindness—buying a meal and offering prayer—became a way to plant seeds of faith. Even small acts can have a lasting impact.
Ask yourself: Who is your Andre? Who in your life might need a word of encouragement or an invitation to explore faith? These moments might seem small, but they carry the potential for eternal impact.
Aligning with God’s Will
Paul’s final point in verse 17 is a call to seek God’s will: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Living without God’s guidance is like navigating without a map—it’s risky and uncertain. But when we seek God’s direction, our path becomes clear, even in the face of challenges.
- Avoiding Self-Reliance: It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “I can find my way on my own.” But just like a traveler lost in the wilderness without a GPS, we can quickly lose our way when we rely only on our own understanding.
- Seek God’s Wisdom: Aligning with God’s will require prayer, reflection, and a willingness to let go of our plans. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.” Trusting God with our plans opens the door to His guidance.
The Danger of Missed Opportunities
In the end, many of life’s greatest regrets come from missed moments—times when we could have spoken up, reached out, or shared our faith, but chose not to. A story from a hospice nurse highlights this reality: many people, at the end of their lives, regret not expressing their feelings or deep truths. They regret not taking the opportunities that were right in front of them.
But we are still in the moment. It’s not too late to seize the opportunities that come your way. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to recalibrate our lives, embracing each moment as a chance to reflect Christ’s love, serve others, and align with God’s purpose.
Living Each Day with Intention
If we live with awareness, seize opportunities, and seek God’s will, we won’t just drift through life—we’ll thrive in God’s plan. Here’s how you can start:
- Pray for Awareness: Ask God to open your eyes to the opportunities around you each day.
- Be Bold in Faith: Don’t be afraid to engage in spiritual conversations or offer prayer when you sense an open door.
- Trust God with the Results: Remember, it’s not up to you to change hearts—that’s God’s work. Your role is to be faithful in the moment.
God’s purpose for your life is bigger than you might realize. As Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” You have a role to play, and God has equipped you for it. Let’s not miss the moment.