“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.”
– 1 Corinthians 16:13‭-‬14 (NLT)

I came across the verse above recently, and I was struck by its simplicity and power.

I felt like instantly after reading it, God was speaking directly to me. I feel like this is a “season verse” for the next season God is calling me into.

As we have all had our lives thrown into some sort of upheaval during the Coronavirus outbreak, many people have had time to reflect on their lives and future during this time. As a Christian, I find myself reading the Bible in search of godly wisdom regarding my future. I have done this throughout my life and it has always been a good guide along the path of life.

All of the qualities that the Apostle Paul urges the Corinthians to embody speak directly to me:

Be on guard. Be aware. Be vigilant. Do not become complacent in your current circumstances.

Stand firm in the faith. Trust God in the midst of the trials of life. Do not compromise on your beliefs.

Be courageous. Step out in faith if you feel like God is calling you to something you are not completely comfortable with. Take risks. Do not live in fear.

Be strong. This one is particularly personal to me. My middle name, Andrew, means “strong” and it is a supernatural quality of fortitude I believe God has imparted to me in increasing measure over the years.

And do everything with love. This is a no-brainer. But it is also easier said than done. To me, it means to take the high road. Do unto others what you would want someone to do for you.

These are all simple and powerful daily practices that combine to form a life that will make a difference for those people I interact with. These will all build me up spiritually. Together they will fortify me and propel me into God’s purposes for my life.

I am so excited!

– Jason