We’ve all heard someone say, “I don’t have to get ready because I stay ready!” It sounds pretty confident, but it would be even better if everyone who said that really understood what God has promised us. Imagine if we all realized how God has prepared us to stand strong on His Word through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:11 (NLT) reminds us, “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Our Heavenly Father has given us fail-proof spiritual armor. Through Christ, He has prepared us to walk in victory every day of our lives. Knowing this can change how we handle life’s ups and downs, making sure we’re always ready in our faith and actions.
Getting ready and staying ready isn’t about having an arrogant mindset. That’s not what God desires from us. Our Heavenly Father wants us to embrace humility. As 1 Peter 5:5 (NLT) warns, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” This reminds us that humility is key to aligning with God’s Will and receiving His favor. Maintaining readiness is about staying grounded in our faith, being prepared to act with integrity, and trusting God’s guidance, all while walking in humility and depending totally on His grace.
The reality is that none of us are as ready spiritually as we think we are. When the storms of life rage, they often bear this out, but it’s not a reason to get down on ourselves; quite the contrary. It’s an opportunity to seek the Lord by faith and ask Him for guidance. As James 1:5 (NLT) assures us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” If we’re diligent and earnest, God will help us fortify the areas of our spiritual walk that are not as strong as they should be.
Jesus Christ said in Luke 12:48 (NLT), “But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” In this verse, our precious Lord and Savior is teaching us a valuable lesson about adjusting our expectations and understanding the responsibility that comes with the blessings and knowledge we receive. It reminds us that as we grow in faith and are entrusted with more, we are called to live with greater integrity and commitment, reflecting the depth of our understanding of the grace we have been given.
We might tell God, “I’m ready for all you have in store,” but only He knows when we’re truly prepared. There’s a standard we need to meet to demonstrate that we can handle the blessings He wants to give us. God doesn’t waste His resources. He expects us to be faithful with what we’ve been given already. He’s evaluating our current stewardship, not just how we’ll manage things when the greater rewards come.
Once we’ve achieved greater levels of growth and improvement, it’s crucial not to become complacent or overly confident. It’s easy to fall back into old habits, and this can cause our blessings to slip away. We must be grounded in spiritual maturity to the point of staying firm in faith even when circumstances are not what we desire. Ephesians 4:23 (NLT) says, “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” Renewing our minds must be a habit in our lives so that we are continually growing and abounding in Christ. We don’t have time for arrogance. It’s all about demonstrating to the Father that we can manage the small blessings with diligence and care. Once we’ve proven this, we’re prepared to keep ourselves flexible to God’s Will and open to all He has in store for our lives. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Get Ready, Stay Ready”, written by KLizzie, edited by Fran Mack and Kim Times, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2024. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.