What Are You Seeking?

What Are You Seeking?

Every once in a while I think it’s important for people to stop and go soul searching for a bit. I sometimes find myself in the midst of life appearing great around me. Getting a new job, paying bills easily, planning vacations, getting the newly released pair of sneakers/Jordans, and feeling pretty great. But then I’ll sit and ask myself…what now? I have everything I could think of wanting, yet something doesn’t feel right on the inside.

A close friend of mine went through a period of time where they felt like they were just in the midst of hardship, feeling stuck in life. They were going through a bad break up after a long relationship, finding it almost impossible to get a job and just not feeling great about themselves. It was hard for me even watching them go through this time of discomfort and unhappiness. I felt helpless in the sense that I could literally do nothing but pray for them, but let me tell you something PRAYER is POWERFUL. Don’t ever get that mistaken! Finally after a little over a year or so, a breakthrough happened. They not only got a job, they got the career of their dreams. They started meeting more people and moved to a nicer place. I remember sitting in my car with tears in my eyes praising God for how He turned things around for that person. Looking from the outside in, their life seemed as close to perfect on this earth as it could get. Then I had gone to their new location to visit them, and we had this conversation where I remember them telling me, “I have everything I’ve ever wanted, but there’s something missing. What happens now? I’m still not happy.” They couldn’t put their finger on the issue. Does this sound like you could relate, or know of someone else who could?

It hit me that because this world is full of material and temporary things, that is what we tend to seek.

The word seek is a very strong word. It means, “to crave, to pursue, to make sacrifices to get or to go after something with all of your heart”. Now yes, we have God willing to give us the desires of our hearts if we choose to seek Him but we tend to take things into our own hands. Quite frankly, I think there’s a part of us that’s afraid that if we give God control over our lives, then we just won’t get what we want. But the God we serve loves us and simply wants us to trust Him. His Word says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). That’s a much better way to live than chasing after things.

Everyone wants the big mansion with more money than they could think of spending, possibly even want fame. But what happens when you achieve that and lose it all? What are you left with? Not at all saying that is what WILL happen, just clarifying that it is possible.

Don’t get me wrong, nice things are a blessing. God wants us to live abundantly and enjoy life as much as we possibly can while on this earth. However, there’s a big difference in desiring these things and seeking them. That is something that is key to understand and would be wise to focus on. If you realize that you’re chasing things rather than God, I want you to visualize your last days on this earth. The day where your physical body no longer matters, that mansion of a house, and that bank account is gone. You’ve worked your whole life making sure those things made you comfortable, that everything was set and that the expectations of those around you were met. To then realize all you’re now left with is your spirit. How hard did you work on making sure that was set? You might be someone who tries a new diet every month just to make sure your physical body is up to a certain standard you’re looking for. You may spend hours in the gym. How many hours have you spent taking care of your spirit man? It’s almost like spending the time focused on a brand new car. It’s beautiful and looks so mint condition on the outside that you wash and wax it on a routine schedule, but the whole time the engine is getting old and rusted. You may look fly in it, but it’s not going to take you far.

It’s not pleasant to think about but it might help us change the way we spend today and everyday after.

If you have a strong inner life—that is, you know who you are in Christ and you know that you’re right with God—then what goes on around you doesn’t have to matter. In fact, that’s when we know we’re maturing as sons and daughters of God. When we aren’t wrapped around what we want, what we think and how we feel. Instead we think of what God has done in our lives and how we can help grow His kingdom while we’re still here on this earth.

When we chase after God and make Him the first priority [seek Him] then we’ll really get to know Him. We will understand that these material things can come and go but He’ll never leave our side. He will give you everything you need that’s right for you at the right time.

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”

–Matthew 6:33 AMP

There is nothing more valuable in this life than knowing God and receiving His relationship. No one can take that away from you and that can never be lost. I want to encourage you to really chase after God the same, if not more, than you chase after these material things. Let Him be first in your life and live each day pursuing what really matters. It’s such a better way to live!