God’s Love is Life-Giving: Walking Wisely in an Evil World
Life is not a playground; it’s a battleground. Days are evil, time is short, and God calls His children to walk wisely, filled with His Spirit and overflowing with worship and thanksgiving. If there’s ever a time we need wisdom, it’s now.
We live in a world full of noise, distractions, temptations, and pressures pulling us in every direction. These are perilous times with no hint of improvement. Yet there is encouragement amid the noise, violence, and evil. Paul writes to the Ephesian Church and to us, saying, “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.”
This isn’t just advice—it’s a calling to intentional living. Paul urges us not to drift through life, waste the time God has given us, or get swept up in the world’s way of thinking. Instead, we should be filled with the Spirit of God.
What Does God’s Life-Giving Love Look Like?
God’s love is not passive—it’s creative and powerful. From the beginning, His love brought the world into existence. He spoke light into darkness, shaped humanity in His image, and breathed His own breath into us. Every heartbeat and breath is a gift of His sustaining love.
His love is not only about beginnings and salvation; it sustains us daily. Scripture reminds us that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
When Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, He described Him as a helper, comforter, and advocate (John 14:16-17). God didn’t leave us alone to struggle—He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. His love is not distant; it’s present, active, and deeply personal.
How Can We Live Wisely in an Evil World?
Ephesians 5:15-20 gives us four life-giving principles to guide our walk with Christ:
1. Live Carefully, Not Carelessly
“Be careful how you live, not like fools, but like those who are wise” (Ephesians 5:15).
Living carefully means being alert. The word Paul uses carries the idea of precision, paying attention, and walking with intentionality. Think about walking on a narrow mountain trail—you don’t stroll carelessly but place each step with care.
The enemy tries to distract us through:
- Comfort (whispering “take it easy, you don’t need to pray today”)
- Busyness (filling our calendars so full we have no time for God)
- Sin (baiting us with small compromises that lead us far from where we should be)
- Fear (isolating us and silencing our voices)
Living carefully also means being wise. We live in a fallen world filled with temptations, deceptions, and dangers to our faith. If we drift, we’ll drift the wrong way.
Finally, living carefully means being urgent. Paul tells us to “make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). The Greek word he uses (exagorazo) literally means “to buy up, to purchase, to rescue from loss.” Time is a gift from God, and every moment is an opportunity to live for Him. Once time is gone, we can’t buy it back.
2. Seek God’s Will, Not Your Own
“Do not act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:17).
Foolishness is living without direction, as though God’s will doesn’t matter. Wisdom is understanding what the Lord’s will is and putting it into practice.
The good news is that God’s will isn’t meant to be a mystery. He has revealed His will in His Word:
- Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30)
- Be holy in all your conduct (1 Peter 1:15-16)
- Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31)
- Proclaim the Gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
When we fill our minds with Scripture, we begin to think God’s thoughts and see the world through His eyes. Instead of asking, “Lord, what’s your will for me in five years?” start with what you already know for today: love Him, obey His Word, serve others, live in unity, share the Gospel.
3. Be Filled with the Spirit, Not with the World
“Do not be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
Paul gives us a powerful contrast: drunkenness means being controlled by alcohol, but we should be controlled by the Spirit of God. Maybe your issue isn’t drunkenness—perhaps it’s anger, worry, entertainment, or ambition.
Being filled with the Spirit doesn’t mean we get more of Him; it means He gets more of us. It means yielding daily to His control, letting Him influence our thoughts, desires, and actions.
On our own, we are powerless. But when the Spirit fills us, we become able to do what God calls us to do.
4. Express Spirit-Filled Living in Your Life
“Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts, and give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-20).
Spirit-filled living overflows in practical ways:
- In worship: Spirit-filled people are worshiping people. Our mouths overflow with praise, and our words encourage others.
- In fellowship: Christianity was never meant to be a solo act. When the Spirit fills us, He binds us together as one body.
- In gratitude: Spirit-filled people are truly thankful people. Gratitude replaces grumbling, which quenches the Spirit.
- In Christ: Everything is centered on Christ—worship, thanksgiving, daily life. It’s all about Him.
Life Application
Today, we must ask ourselves some challenging questions:
- Am I walking carefully or carelessly through life?
- Am I seeking God’s will or just my own?
- What is filling me—stress, bitterness, entertainment, or the Spirit of God?
- Does my life overflow with worship, gratitude, and Christ-centered living?
The wise life isn’t about how much we know but how closely we walk with Jesus. The Spirit-filled life isn’t about some emotional high but about daily surrender that leads to worship, gratitude, and joy.
Paul’s call is urgent: “Redeem the time, for the days are evil.” Don’t waste your life. Be filled with the Spirit and let your life overflow with songs of worship and thanksgiving to the glory of God.
Remember, you can’t live a Spirit-filled life without the Spirit of God in your life, and you cannot receive the Spirit until you belong to Christ. If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Savior, this is where wisdom begins. If you are a believer but have been living carelessly or chasing worldly things, today is the day to surrender afresh and ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit.
Will you choose today to live wisely in this evil world?