Living On Purpose In Christ Bible Study | Biblical Encouragement, Aromatherapy, Devotions, Daily Prayer, Journaling Prompts

108 | Parenting from Overflow, Not Empty (Ephesians Bible Study and Devotional)

• Paula Behrens | Christian Coach, Pastor, Certified Aroma Freedom Practitioner • Season 2

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When the house finally quiets but your mind won’t, Ephesians offers a steadier way to breathe. We open the letter like a lifeline for tired parents and busy hearts, starting with Paul’s startling claim that we already have every spiritual blessing in Christ. From that foundation—chosen, redeemed, and sealed—we explore how identity shifts everything: the tone of our words, the way we handle conflict, the patience we extend, and the hope we carry into messy days.

We walk through the letter’s arc—from cosmic grace to kitchen-table practice. You’ll hear why maturity looks less like stockpiling knowledge and more like resembling Jesus in speech, forgiveness, and everyday choices. We trace unity that tears down walls, a love rooted wide and deep, and the invitation to “walk worthy” with humility, gentleness, and patience. Then we get concrete: putting off the old self, building the habit of kind speech, and imitating God as dearly loved children. We also unpack Paul’s vision for the home—mutual honor between spouses, discipline anchored in relationship, and parenting that disciples without provoking—and show how small rhythms can restore calm without adding pressure.

Finally, we name the battle beneath our battles: not against flesh and blood. The armor of God becomes a daily dress code, and prayer shifts from last resort to first move. If your heart needs a peace reset, you’ll find practical steps and a hopeful lens to carry into the week. Read Ephesians 1 slowly, let “chosen” and “sealed” settle your soul, and join us as we practice living from what’s already true. Follow, share this with a friend who needs biblical encouragement, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

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Paula Behrens:

Picture this for a moment. It's late at night, the kids are finally asleep, the dishes are done, or mostly done, and the house is quiet except for the hum of the fridge and maybe a few thoughts swirling in your head. You love your family deeply, but if you're honest, you're tired. You want to feel God's presence more. You want your faith to be vibrant again. You want peace, not just a few fleeting moments, but real peace that lingers. If that's where you are right now, Paul's letter to the Ephesians is for you. He wrote it to lift our eyes above the daily grind and remind us who we are in Christ and what that means for the way we live, love, and parent. It's like a heavenly pep talk mixed with a practical game plan. We'll dive deeper in just a minute, but first, a little bit about my story.

Paula Behrens:

When I first began my seminary work while serving two church congregations full-time, everyone assumed I had my daily devotional time perfectly organized. But truth be told, there were mornings I could barely find five minutes to catch my breath, let alone dive into deep reflection. One day, as I rushed out the door with mismatched shoes, I realized that even in my chaos, there was a lesson. Embracing God's grace and self-forgiveness, I realized that true success in my devotional life requires prioritizing my spiritual practices. Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned day? I'm Paula, and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed for a deeper connection with God but struggled with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you. Please take a moment to follow the show, leave a review, and share with your friends who need a little biblical encouragement today.

Paula Behrens:

Hey friend, ever wonder how the Aroma of Christ coaching hour uses pure natural scents to bring calm and clarity into your faith walk? Let me give you a quick overview. Before our session, you'll get a free essential oil sampler in the mail, carefully selected aromas to use on our call together, where we'll dive into the Peace Reset. First, I'll guide you through using these soothing aromas to ease emotional stress, quiet your mind, and align your heart with God's peace in just minutes. Then we'll spend a little time cultivating a simple rhythm that fits seamlessly into your busy life. Small steps that add up without overwhelming your day. By the end, you'll feel refreshed, equipped, and ready to embrace more balance and faith as the mind connects the power of a pure and natural aroma with a deep sense of God's peace. Give yourself room to breathe. Head on over now to Paula Behrens.com/coaching to book your spot. That's Paula Behrens, B-E-H-R-E-N-S .com/coaching (no spaces). It's time to take that simple step toward a calmer, more connected you.

Paula Behrens:

All right, let's get started. Grab your coffee, open your Bible, take a deep breath, and let's walk through this together chapter by chapter, heart to heart. Paul wrote Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome. Now, most of us can't imagine writing something so uplifting while sitting in a jail cell, but Paul did. He wasn't discouraged. He was full of joy and revelation. Ephesians isn't a letter correcting bad behavior or solving church drama. It's a letter meant to build believers up, to show them the fullness of what it means to belong to Jesus. It's often said that Ephesians is divided into two parts. If you think of it like a home, chapters one through three are the foundation, solid, secure, and all about God's grace and love. Chapters four through six are the framework, the way we build our relationships, handle conflict, raise our kids, love our spouses, and stand strong in a broken world.

Paula Behrens:

Let's start from the beginning and see how Paul builds this beautiful house of truth. Right out of the gate, he tells us that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Now that's a big statement. He's saying that God has already given us everything we need spiritually. It's already ours because of Jesus. Before the world was even created, God chose you. Think about that. Long before you ever lost sleep over a toddler tantrum, or worried about a teen's future, God had already written your name into his story. Paul uses this chapter to remind us of what's already true. You are loved by the Father, you are redeemed by the Son, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now that word sealed means you belong to Him permanently. That means nothing can snatch you away.

Paula Behrens:

Then Paul prays something beautiful. He asks God that our eyes would be opened to see the hope we have, the riches of his glory, and the power that's available to us as believers. He's basically saying, I want you to realize how much you already have in Christ. Now, if you're a parent, that's a powerful prayer to pray over your kids and over yourself. Paul doesn't sugarcoat things here either. He reminds us that before Christ we were spiritually dead, not limping, not wounded, but dead. Then comes that wonderful phrase, but God. Those two words change everything. But God, being rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ. That means we didn't earn it. We didn't deserve it. It was grace, pure and simple. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works, so that none of us can boast.

Paula Behrens:

And then Paul adds something that's always made me smile. He says, We are God's workmanship. The Greek word here literally means masterpiece. You are his masterpiece, created with purpose and on purpose. So the next time you feel like you're failing as a parent or falling short as a believer, remember this: you are God's handiwork, not your own. He's shaping you, he's refining you, he's equipping you for every good work he prepared for you long ago. Paul then talks about how Jesus tore down the wall between Jews and Gentiles, between us and them. In Christ, there's no division. That means in your home, in your church, in your heart, unity is the goal. God's family is built on unity and peace. And that peace, it starts with you. When you rest in the fact that you belong to Him.

Paula Behrens:

In chapter three, Paul gets really personal. He says that God gave him the incredible privilege of revealing a mystery that had been hidden for generations, that Gentiles, that's everyone who isn't Jewish, are now part of the same promise. We're all heirs together in Christ. Now that's a big deal. It means that no one is an outsider in the family of God. We're all loved, we're all invited, and we're all included. And once again, Paul burst into prayer. I love that about him. He doesn't just teach, he prays. He asks that believers would be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, and that we would be rooted and grounded in love. He prays that we would grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ really is, and that we'd be filled with the fullness of God. This isn't just head knowledge, this is heart revelation. Paul wants us to feel that love, to live in it and to allow it to overflow.

Paula Behrens:

As parents, that's what we need most, isn't it? We don't need another parenting hack. We need to be filled with God's love so we can love our kids from a place of overflow, not exhaustion. And then Paul ends with one of the most powerful declarations in Scripture. He says, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, that's our God. When you've run out of ideas, energy, or patience, remember, God's not limited by your limits. This is where Paul shifts from theology to practicality. He starts chapter 4 by saying, Therefore, walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received. In other words, live out what you believe. Paul reminds us that unity matters, humility matters, gentleness, patience, and love, these things build up the body of Christ. And just like in a family, unity doesn't happen by accident. It's something we fight for, something we pray for, and something we protect.

Paula Behrens:

He talks about how God gave different gifts, apostles, pastors, teachers, evangelists, to equip the church so that everyone can grow up into spiritual maturity. And here's something important. Maturity isn't about knowing more, it's about becoming more and more like Christ. It's when our faith becomes real in how we talk, in how we forgive, in how we treat others. Paul says to put off the old self, the version of us that's angry, bitter, selfish, and to put on the new self created in righteousness and holiness. That's what sanctification looks like. It's the daily process of saying, No, I'm not that person anymore. I'm new in Christ. And this applies at home too. When tempers flare, when patience runs thin, when life feels messy, remember, you have the Holy Spirit inside you empowering you to respond with grace. Let your words build up, not tear down. Let your kindness become your habit. And if you blow it, remember Ephesians 4.32. Be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another just as in Christ God forgave you.

Paula Behrens:

Paul keeps it going in chapter 5 with a powerful statement saying, Be imitators of God as dearly loved children. You see, we imitate what we spend time around, right? Kids imitate their parents. And as God's children, we're meant to imitate him. Paul says to walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. That's the pattern, sacrificial, unconditional love. He warns us against things like sexual immorality, any kind of impurity or greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Additionally, he cautions against engaging in obscene or coarse talk, as such behaviors pull us away from our true identity in Christ. Instead, he says to walk as children of light. That means living with purity, honesty, joy, and integrity, shining God's goodness in a dark world.

Paula Behrens:

And then Paul gives instructions for the home. He says to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. In other words, relationships in a Christian home should be marked by mutual love, humility, and service, not control or competition. Husbands are called to love their wives the way Christ loves a church. With gentleness, sacrifice, and protection, wives are called to respect and support their husbands. Then Paul turns to parents and children. He says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. But he also says, Fathers, don't provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Now that's a tall order, but it's beautiful when you see the balance. Obedience flows from love. Discipline is rooted in relationship, and all of it points back to Christ. When we lead our homes in this way, we're showing our children what God's love looks like in real life.

Paula Behrens:

Paul ends his letter by reminding us of something crucial. We are in a spiritual battle. He says, Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. Now we often forget this part, don't we? We get frustrated with circumstances or people, but Paul reminds us our real enemy isn't flesh and blood, it's the spiritual forces of darkness trying to discourage, divide, and derail us. So he walks us through the armor of God, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Each piece is vital, and together they help us stand firm when life gets hard. And then he adds one more weapon prayer. Pray in the spirit on all occasions, he says, with all kinds of prayers. That's how we stay strong. That's how we fight for our families, our faith, and our peace. For parents, this means remembering that prayer isn't your last resort, it's your first line of defense. Pray over your home, pray over your kids, pray over your own heart. The battle is real, but so is your armor, and so is your victory in Christ.

Paula Behrens:

When you zoom out and look at Ephesians as a whole, it's like Paul is painting this giant picture. He starts in heaven showing us God's eternal plan, his grace, and our identity in Christ. Then he brings it all the way down to our everyday lives, how we love, forgive, serve, and stand firm. Ephesians reminds us that being a Christian isn't about trying harder, it's about living out what's already true. For Christian parents, that truth changes everything. It means you can show grace because you've received grace, you can forgive because you've been forgiven. You can keep going because God's power is working in you, even when you feel empty. When your kids see you pray, when they see you worship through tears, when they watch you forgive and choose peace instead of anger, you're not just teaching the gospel, you're living it out.

Paula Behrens:

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us who we are in you, chosen, loved, sealed, and secure. Help us live from that truth every single day. When we're tired, strengthen us. When we're unsure, steady us. Let our homes overflow with your peace, kindness, and grace. Teach us to walk in love, to forgive quickly, and to stand firm in your strength. In Jesus' name we ask these things. Amen.

Paula Behrens:

If you only have time to read one chapter this week, make it Ephesians 1. Read it slowly, let it remind you that you are chosen, loved, redeemed, and sealed. Because that's who you really are. And if your heart is craving peace, if your soul feels scattered or weary, I'd love to invite you to a very special experience. It's called the Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour. In this one-hour session, we'll pause together and create a rhythm that fits your real life, your season, your schedule, and your spirit. You'll also receive a free essential oil sampler to use during our time together as we blend scripture, prayer, and the aroma to help you reconnect with God's peace in a tangible way. It's not about doing more, it's about breathing again. Because peace isn't something you chase, it's something you receive. So if you're ready to rest, to reset, and to experience the gentle presence of God again, join me for your aroma of Christ coaching hour. You can learn more at PaulaBehrens.com/coaching. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S .com/coaching (no spaces). Your heart will thank you.

Paula Behrens:

Thank you for tuning in today. And remember, just like setting biblical boundaries, it's okay to say no to things that don't serve you well, like that third piece of cake at the church pot luck. If you were blessed by this episode, be sure to share to share it with a friend and leave a review so that we can reach even more listeners like you. Check the show notes for all the links. Join us next week as we continue to discover how to live on purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom. See you next time.