LIFE AFTER EL

Below are things to prioritize that the enemy would love for you NOT TO PRACTICE AFTER EL.

1) Seek the Lord First.

"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
— Matthew 6:33


“The fight for joy is the fight to stay satisfied in God — and that battle is fought in the Word and in prayer.”
— John Piper

“Communion with God is not a performance to secure His love, but the overflow of a heart already resting in His love.”
— David Platt

Your time with God isn’t something to fit in when life allows — it’s the foundation for everything else. Start your day with Him. Let your first thoughts, your first actions, and your first conversations belong to the Lord.
Be aware of the TWO GREAT BATTLES:

  • 1) Showing up.

    • Learn and grow in prioritizing alone time with the Lord and protecting it.

  • 2) Your heart.

    • The goal isn’t to have a flawless, picture-perfect quiet time every day — it’s to draw near to your Father. Don’t get stuck chasing the “right” method. Fix your heart on the gospel: God’s unchanging, everlasting love for you. Some days your desire to pray and read will feel weak — but His love for you never is.

    • Strive to regularly confess your sin to Him, feed on His Word, and open your heart in prayer.

      “Always read the Bible and pray when you desire it because it’s a gift.
      Read the Bible and pray when you don’t feel like it because that’s a warning.”
      – Ronnie Stevens

Diagnostic Question:

  • Is my first conversation each day with God — or with my phone?

  • Do I seek God only when I feel like it, or have I built a habit of seeking Him daily?

  • Is your time with God the first thing you protect or the first thing you sacrifice?

  • Am I approaching God out of love and dependence — or only out of obligation?



2) Don’t Look for Community — Build It.

“We grow best not as isolated individuals, but as brothers and sisters in the community of faith.”
— Kevin DeYoung

Don’t drift through life waiting for community to find you. Be the kind of person who cultivates it.

Invite, initiate, gather, pursue. Love others enough to create the connection you’re hoping to receive. The ideal place to find community would be in your church, where you are joined together in membership. Building community may be easier said than done, depending on the size of the church. However, no matter the size, don’t passively sit by; pursue deeper relationships with other believers who are older, younger, and in the same life stage as you.

Scripture:
"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together... but encouraging one another." — Hebrews 10:24-25

Diagnostic Question:

  • Am I waiting for others to invite me in, or am I actively inviting others?

  • When I feel disconnected, do I take initiative or wait to be pursued?

  • Do I view church and community as a place to be served, or a place to serve?

  • Resource: What is the Christian community? - GotQuestions.org


3) Prioritize Rest, but Don’t Disappear

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
— Matthew 11:28

Rest is a command, not an option — but isolation is not rest. Learn to Sabbath. Learn to say “no” when necessary, but don’t pull away from people or the body of Christ.

Diagnostic Question:

4) Serve Others — Live Outward

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
— Mark 10:45

The Christian life is not self-focused; it’s Christ-centered, which leads to being others-focused. Growth without service leads to stagnation.

Diagnostic Questions:

  • Is my schedule built around my comfort or opportunities to love and serve others?

  • How can I reflect Christ’s sacrificial love to the people in my church, neighborhood, or workplace this week?

  • When I picture this summer, do I see myself serving, or being served?

  • How do you plan to serve as your schedule opens up this summer and next year?

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