Most of the things that matter in life, simply cannot be rushed. Children need time to grow and mature. Muscles need time to be built and defined. The deep roots of a tree do not form overnight. Like each of these, readiness can’t be rushed. It is cultivated in silence, long before it is needed.
In Luke 12, Jesus is speaking about readiness as a way of living:
Be prepared for action at a moment’s notice. Be like servants anticipating their master’s return from a wedding celebration. They are ready at a moment’s notice to unlock and open the door for him. Luke 12:35-36 TPT
Readiness Can’t Be Rushed
In the passage, Jesus describes servants who remain dressed and ready, watching for their master’s return. Their readiness is not something they scramble to assemble when they hear footsteps approaching. It is already in place.
It’s easy to assume we will be ready when the time comes. If you’re like me, you imagine that when a temptation appears, you’ll find strength. When suffering arrives, you’ll overcome. And when opportunity knocks, you’ll know exactly what to do.
Readiness Isn’t Forged In The Crisis.
Our spiritual readiness is formed in those moments we spend in prayer to begin the day. It’s forged in obeying His word when tempted to compromise. Readiness is developed in times of repentance, acknowledging His majesty, and daily reliance on Him. These choices seem small, but they largely shape how we respond when a storm arrives. The crisis only reveals what has already been built. It cannot create the foundation.
This scripture serves as an invitation to manage our present moments. God gives us time today to prepare our hearts for tomorrow’s unknowns. The habits we practice now are the resources we draw upon later.
Faithfulness in the quiet seasons of life is never wasted. Every act of obedience, every moment spent with God, every step taken today equips us for whatever lies ahead.
This is the season for readiness, because readiness cannot be rushed.
Action:
Take some time to reflect on these questions,
- Where am I assuming I’ll be ready later if I need to be?
- What does it cost me to wait until the moment of crisis to start preparing?
- What small habit can I begin with this week?
*For those of you who prayer walk, choose one of these questions to ponder as you walk. Pray about what the Holy Spirit reveals to you. For your copy of this week’s screensaver, click here. And to access all of my YouVersion Bible App devotional plans, click here.