4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:1 – 4:13
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10
Pursuing our callings can be met with fear and anxiety at times. We’re not always certain that we’re on the right track and sometimes next steps can be unclear. This is where the certainty of our first calling – pursuing our relationship with Jesus – is so important! We can be sure that as we seek His heart day to day, He is already at work to lead and guide us into the plans He has for us. It may require seasons of waiting on God’s timing and direction. Know that in the waiting, nothing is wasted when you keep your eyes locked on Jesus, direct your heart full of faith in our faithful God, and trust that He will come through for you.
So whether you’re still trying to figure out a few things or currently living out the works you were created for, there’s a beautiful promise that is a banner over all of our lives straight from the heart of God:
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6
No matter where you are in your journey, know this: the good work He began in you He also will complete. From the finished work of Jesus on the cross, to the moment of your salvation, and until we see Jesus face-to-face, He is working out your salvation every single day as you become more like Jesus. With each new day, there is more work to be done in this life, in your heart, and through the living out of your calling for the building up of the Church. Jesus is the author and perfecter of your faith. He is the finisher!
Are there fears or anxiety you need to confess in a private moment with God today? He waits for us to entrust any such feelings to Him in exchange for His invaluable peace. Be encouraged and reminded of His grace and your purpose in today’s Scripture readings.
FLOURISH
A Mentoring Journey
FLOURISH: A Mentoring Journey is a year-long curriculum guide, rooted in Scripture and developed by The Flourish Team of Passion City. Now available in two volumes, this mentoring journey encourages women from different stages of life to share their lives with one another through the studying of the Word of God and relevant life topics. Find out more about Year One and Year Two of FLOURISH by clicking the link below.
