What do I mean by living an evaluated life? I mean we need to continuously evaluate our life by God’s Word. Am I living up to God’s ideal for my life or am I not. There are six marks of a devoted disciple that Paul speaks about in Ephesians 3:14-21. They serve as helpful markers as we seek to determine whether or not we are on track with God’s Will for our lives. We need to compare our lives to these markers and then make course corrections as, and when, needed. As you read each one, give yourself a grade on a scale of 1-5 (5=Very Devoted, 1=Not Very Devoted). Then make these six markers a matter of prayer and focus as you seek to grow deeper in your relationship with the Lord.
- I am deeply moved by God’s grace and the needs of others. [Read Ephesians 3:14]
Paul was deeply moved by both, and so should we. Grade yourself 1-5. - I have a deep sense of belonging to God and His Family. [Read Ephesians 3:14,15]
This speaks to having a clear sense of identity and takes us back to Ephesians chapter 2 where Paul talks to us about knowing who we were before Christ, who we are now that we are in Christ, and who we are becoming. Grade yourself 1-5. - I am deeply rooted and established in Christ. [Read Ephesians 3:16-17]
Am I in God’s Word on a regular basis? God’s Word teaches me God’s Will and shows me God’s Way. I grow deep in Christ through Scripture. The Bible anchors me and my faith. There is a correlation with the depth of my faith to the amount of discipline I demonstrate in studying and applying Scripture. Grade yourself 1-5. - I am deeply aware that His power is all-sufficient for me. [Read Ephesians 3:16,18,20]
The more I understand God’s infinite power and the strength He has for me, the more I will be inspired to pray. And prayer is something that is all-important to my faith development. I grow deeper as I spend more time in communication with the King. If I am deeply convinced of His might I will seek His face and request His help on my behalf and on behalf of the people and world around me. Grade yourself 1-5. - I have a deep assurance of His immeasurable love for me. [Read Ephesians 3:17-19]
God loves you and me more than we will ever know. His love goes beyond our fondest imagination. Understanding His immeasurable love is important to know always, and especially when we face hard times. Knowing God is for us, and with us, and in us is powerfully important. It reminds us who we are and Whose we are. And then we must allow His love to flow through us to others around us. Grade yourself 1-5. - I am deeply committed to live my life for His glory. [Read Ephesians 3:20-21]
The aim of my life is to bring glory to Christ. The words I say, the thoughts I think, and the things I do are all meant to bring glory to God. This was Paul’s aim and it should be ours as well. Grade yourself 1-5.
Living an unevaluated life is problematic. It’s like going on a long trip, taking a wrong turn and never correcting your course; you won’t end up where you want to be. Spiritually speaking, we also need to make sure we get on – and stay on – the right road so that we end up where we want to be. And where we want to be is where Paul wanted to be, in a closer and deeper relationship with Jesus.