Ephesians 5:15-17 (JDV)

Ephesians 5:15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you live – not as unwise people but as wise –

Ephesians 5:16 making the most of the season, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s preference is.

against the flowEvery day presents a crossroads. Life does not drift toward holiness on its own, and the age in which believers live is not neutral. Scripture describes these as evil days—times shaped by values, desires, and pressures that naturally pull hearts away from God. Simply going along with the current guarantees being carried toward outcomes that reflect the darkness around us. That is why discernment matters. Learning what God prefers, understanding what aligns with His character, and then acting on that knowledge becomes essential. Faith cannot remain passive. A passive faith is simply a life surrendered to whatever influences happen to be strongest in the moment. Active obedience, deliberate pursuit of God’s will, and intentional resistance to the surrounding darkness are the only ways to walk in the light Christ provides.

This becomes especially clear in the inner battles that rise unexpectedly. Resentment is one of those battles. It grows quietly, often beginning with real wounds or unfair treatment. The enemy knows how to exploit those moments, whispering reminders of past injustices or highlighting present ones. The temptation is subtle: respond in kind, retaliate, justify sin as a form of evening the scales. The mind recognizes the foolishness of that logic, yet the pull can still be strong. Resentment promises relief but delivers bondage. It narrows vision until the only thing visible is the wrong suffered, not the God who sees, judges, and heals.

Paul’s words cut through that fog. Evil days are not anomalies; they are the environment in which believers live. Unfairness is not evidence of God’s absence but a reminder of the world’s brokenness. These moments are not betrayals by God but invitations to trust Him more deeply. They become opportunities to refuse the easy path of bitterness and instead choose the harder, brighter path of obedience. When Christ shines on His people, His light exposes both the darkness around them and the shadows within them. That exposure is not meant to shame but to guide. It reveals what is empty and destructive, and it illuminates what is good, true, and pleasing to God.

Saying no to the deeds of darkness is not merely moral restraint; it is an act of worship. It is a declaration that Christ’s resurrection life is stronger than the world’s pressures and more satisfying than resentment’s false comfort.

Lord, no matter how long it takes, we are committed to pursuing what you want. Make us faithful followers of you, not passive gliders through evil days.