“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
I particularly like The Message version of this scripture: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:33)
Seek God first. Seek God first. Seek God first.
It sounds so simple doesn’t it? But how easy it is to bump Him into second place. A phone call from the pharmaceutical company tells you the medication you need is going to cost $5000. The mail has a denial letter for your appeal for Social Security Disability Assistance. Your adult child calls and says your grand-daughter won’t be visiting this summer because she just doesn’t think you are a safe enough driver to take her around town. You volunteer to teach Vacation Bible School and then you get a terrible infection the weekend before and end up in E.R.
How easy it is for the tears, the questions, the frustrations, and more, to pour out before we emotionally get down on our knees and seek God out. So many times we may take our emotions out on those around us. We may call a friend to “get something off our chest” about someone else, when really we are just gossiping. We may yell at a telemarketer when it’s not her fault she is delivering bad news.
What exactly does it mean to seek God?
1 Chronicles 22:19 tells us, “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.”
Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
1 Chronicles 28:9 assures us, “If you seek Him, He will be found by you.”
I once read that to “seek God” we must go around something or through something. For those of us with illness, this may be going through a hard experience of pain or infection, or around the temptation to think negatively about our circumstances or become bitter.
Whatever it is you must go around or through, never forget to seek Him first.
Prayer: God, help me understand how to seek You out. When You provide opportunities for me to seek You, give me wisdom to see them and take advantage of them.
About the Author:
Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and she has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since 1993. If you enjoy these devotionals, you may love her book Mosaic Moments: Devotionals for the Chronically Ill which includes devotions from about 20 writers and a journey through Lisa’s first ten years of living with a chronic illness.
You can now read this on your Kindle. Find out more at http://TodaysDevotionOnKindle.com
What does it mean to you to “seek God first”? What do you do, logistically, to seek God, especially when you are tempted to see things through the world’s eyes?
Chronic Illness Pain Daily Devotionals 