Living on Mission {Part One In the Light}

I have been in full-time ministry for under 5 years.  I have SO MUCH to learn when it comes to living out the Great Commission, but I do want to share one of the biggest things I have found to help live with passion, excitement and boldness in living missionally.

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God...

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
'Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.'” Ephesians 5:1-2,8-14

God desires His children to live in the light, but so often His children choose to live in darkness. Often when we sin, we keep it to ourselves. We lock it away in the our secret chest of shame and guilt. We hope no one ever looks into, because inside is the ugliest part of our being.

We rationalize, "My secret chest is totally forgiven by Christ, so why should I open it? It isn't anybody else's business what I've done, so why would I let anyone look into my secrets?"

I believe that this kind of thinking and behavior is living in the dark. We may open up this secret chest to Jesus alone, which is good and healthy. But we are selling ourselves short and keeping ourselves in bondage if we believe we are living completely in the light. I say that because I believe when we completely expose light to the darkness in our life we can be free to be the real us and to really live out the Great Commission boldly and passionately.

I'm going to spend my next few posts on what living in the dark looks like, how to live in the light before God, and practical steps for living in the light so you can live on mission for God's glory.

Dear Jesus, I thank you so much for all that you have taught me the past couple years in this area of living in the light. I look forward to all you're going to teach me in the future as well! I ask that during this time that I will be teachable, ready for what you want me to learn and apply during my life. Not just to be a healthy individual, but so I can be a woman free to do all that You have called me to do. It's in your name I pray.

About Leah

Leah works with Master Plan Ministries at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Other than watching college students' lives change, she enjoys getting her mind blown by God and His Word, watching sci fi, baking cupcakes, and spending time with her hunky husband. 

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