You Live and You Learn. . . Really?

“Oh…you live and you learn. If only I knew then what I know now…”

I heard this lady in the nail salon express this sentiment with such remorse and regret and it really made me think.

The other day I wrote about capitalizing on our mistakes and really seeking to learn the lesson, but what if we became more intentional about our learning instead of allowing “life” to dictate when, how, and what we learn.

Her statement gives the impression that as long as we’re living…we’re learning. But, I've met enough people—young and old—to know that age doesn't serve as any indication of wisdom. I believe that true learning takes place on purpose. It requires awareness. Even for us to learn from our mistakes we must seek--to go in search of; to ask for; to try to acquire or gain--these are all ACTIVE principles. It’s not just going to happen.

I think that it's important to remain intentional in every area of our life include our faith.

“…And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:17 (NLT)

This particular chapter of Ephesians discusses the Armor of God--our belt of truth, shoes of peace, shield of faith, salvation helmet, and our sword of the Spirit. When we aren't intentional about learning the Word God we are unequipped to defend ourselves against the attacks of the enemy. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God and without knowledge of it...we’re empty-handed.

God has planted these seeds of purpose in us, but it’s our responsibility to cultivate, water, and feed these seeds so that we gain the ability to reach our full potential. I don’t want to sit back and lament over my life…I want to rejoice because I used what God gave me to live a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Today, worry less about entertainment and seek new ways to educate yourself. Determine what you’re passionate about and find ways each day to learn something new. We need to be on purpose, intentional, and passionate about pursuing the Word of God and pursuing our growth into whatever God has called us to do. Experience is a great teacher, but it's not the only way to learn. Be intentional and challenge yourself to learn something new.



Written by Ashley Ivery