Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11-12 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Devotion: As we talk about what it looks like to leave our sin behind and to pursue a life of holiness, it might be helpful to clarify what that even looks like. The Apostle Paul tells us in our verse for today that we are to strive for a life of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. But even those descriptors might not be helpful.
Let’s dive into what each of these mean and reflect on how we might live our lives in pursuit of them. As we work through these questions, I encourage you to write out your responses so that you can look at them and pray about them throughout the week.
Righteous: acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin
- While we are all sinful people and fall short, we are encouraged to live a life that is free from guilt or sin. What area of your life right now are you struggling with a shortcoming or sin?
Godly: divine
- This is about living a life that is conformed to the image of Christ. We certainly do not do this perfectly (and never will), but it is a worthy pursuit. When you think of Christlike character, what do you think of? Do you display that in your own life?
Faith: belief and trust in and loyalty to God
- It is not uncommon to question why God lets certain things happen or feel as though He didn’t show up in the way you wanted Him to. Even in the midst of those feelings, we are called to a trust and loyalty to God. In your current season of life, how easy is it for you to trust in God’s plan?
Love: unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the good of another
- This is love for God, love for our families, and love for our neighbors. Do you seek to love one another above all (1 Peter 4:8)? As you think about loving others in your life, do you have the correct order with love for God first?
Endurance: the ability to withstand hardship or adversity
- We know that Christ is a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24-27), and because of this, we can press into Him when we face trials of any kind. When your faith is tested in life, how do you withstand?
Gentleness: mildness of manners or disposition
- We often want our presence to be known and to be heard. But we are encouraged to be mild-mannered. Is that something that comes naturally to you? How might you shift your perspective on things in order to have a gentle disposition?
Take some time to pray over your reflections. Also pray that the Lord would help you in your pursuit of a holy life that displays righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.