Daily Devotionals

Question We Are Pondering.

As I enter the final quarter of 2026, are my present choices moving me toward the person God has called me to become, or are they quietly pulling me away from His purpose? Have you ever looked up and wondered, “Where did the time go?” A day disappeared. Then a week. Then a month. And suddenly you realize that while you were busy responding to everything demanding your attention, you may not have been intentionally moving toward what mattered most.

That question becomes especially important today. As we prepare to step into the last quarter of 2026, we stand at a natural moment of reflection and realignment. Nine months of this year are now behind us, and only three remain. This is an opportunity not merely to ask how busy we have been, but to examine whether our time, choices, habits, and priorities have been moving us toward the person God has called us to become.

That is the danger of drift. You do not have to make one disastrous decision to become misaligned; sometimes you only have to stop paying attention. Life can slowly fill with activity while quietly becoming disconnected from purpose.

Paul understood this danger. That is why he tells believers to walk “circumspectly”—carefully, attentively, deliberately. In other words, do not sleepwalk through your calling. Do not allow urgency to dictate your priorities, distractions to consume your attention, or other people’s demands to determine your direction.

Every day, you are spending something you can never recover: time. Every yes costs something. Every habit is taking you somewhere. Every relationship is influencing your direction. Every repeated choice is shaping the person you are becoming.

So as we enter the final quarter of this year, wisdom invites us to ask a deeper question than, “What have I been doing?” Wisdom asks, “Where is what I am doing taking me?”

The final three months of 2026 do not have to be simply the conclusion of another year. They can become a season of intentional realignment—a time to refocus, reprioritize, and redeem the time God has placed in our hands.

Walking wisely means living awake, aware, and aligned—recognizing that the life God has entrusted to us is too valuable to be lived accidentally.

Here Are Three Guiding Lessons For Our Consideration.

Paul says, “See then that you walk circumspectly.” Walking wisely begins with awareness. We must pay attention to our thoughts, habits, influences, relationships, and decisions. What we repeatedly tolerate can eventually redirect our lives. Spiritual maturity requires the willingness to examine where we are walking before we discover that we have traveled far from where God intended us to be.

Alignment Principle — Dr. Roderic Bishop: You cannot realign what you are unwilling to examine. Awareness is the beginning of intentional transformation.

Paul contrasts foolish living with wise living. Wisdom does not simply ask whether something is permissible; it considers whether it is profitable for our purpose. Every opportunity does not deserve a yes. Every relationship does not deserve equal access. Every demand does not deserve our time. Wisdom learns to weigh choices according to our calling rather than according to convenience, pressure, or impulse.

Alignment Principle — Dr. Roderic Bishop: Wise decisions are made when purpose becomes more influential than pressure, preference, or impulse.

Paul tells us to redeem the time because the days are evil. Wisdom must eventually become action. Knowing what matters is not enough; we must organize our lives around what matters. Walking wisely means intentionally giving our time, energy, attention, and resources to the things that support God’s purpose for our lives. Every day becomes an opportunity to walk deliberately rather than drift accidentally.

Alignment Principle — Dr. Roderic Bishop: Alignment is not simply knowing the right direction; it is consistently taking steps in that direction.