Seek Him First

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

At the beginning of the year, I pasted this verse on my bathroom mirror so I see it every single day, multiple times each day. I have chosen it as my theme for 2024.

This week, the same verse pierced my mind. The last few weeks have been pretty insane. I feel like everything has been crashing in as I attempt to rearrange my life into what I hope will be a much more conducive environment for the many things I feel called to do. But, the process of getting there has proven to be very difficult. It seems as if the call to seek Him first has been choked out.

So this week, I made the decision that it is time to truly seek the Kingdom of God above all else, knowing He will give me everything I need.

But what does it look like to seek Him first?

Make time with God my priority. My phone is such a distraction. Let’s be honest: it’s a distraction for many of us. My phone has become my connection with other people. But it has also become my calendar. My alarm clock. My entertainment. My work companion. My internet. My spreadsheet. I don’t know how to function without it.

While it is convenient and (some might argue) a necessity in the 21st century, it also becomes incredibly easy to get sucked in to all the distractions on our phones. The next thing you know, you’ve wasted two hours.

The first thing I do every morning is pick up my phone to see the time or turn off the alarm. If I’m not careful, I then quickly check my email and scroll through my Facebook memories. Before long, I look at the time and realize I have to get ready for work–and God has been choked out of my morning.

And, for that very reason, I have made the decision that I look at nothing on my phone until I have spent time with God. Sure, I still turn off the alarm, but then I refuse to turn my phone on until I’ve had time in the Word and in prayer. It’s a small step to seek first the Kingdom of God.

Check my entertainment. I’m not a big television person. I’m not a big movie person. Sure, I enjoy a good show or movie now and then, and I’m pretty picky about what I watch. But, it’s easy to waste too much time on something that adds no value to my life. And, so much of our entertainment is anything but God-glorifying.

About the only thing I watch on tv are true-crime mysteries. I love trying to figure out whodunit. But, I’ve realized it might not be a great thing I’m choosing to focus on. I’m not saying we need to completely eliminate entertainment, but maybe we need to re-evaluate. Re-evaluate what we feed our minds. Re-evaluate how much time we give to entertainment. Re-evaluate the impact on our minds and our lives.

Rearrange life. It might be a little over-the-top, but maybe we even need to rearrange our life. I have been working hard to create margin in my life–margin in my time and energy. I have completely rearranged my work life to give me more days off work. Yes, I work long hours when I work, but I have four days each week that I’m not working. That gives me time to do the thing I am passionate about.

To seek God first, you may need to rearrange your life. Maybe you need to change job or work schedules. Maybe you need to get up earlier to have time with God. Maybe you need to turn off the tv in the evening. I don’t know what it is for you, but seeking God first means we prioritize Him–no matter what that means.

Add God to simple moments in life. I love to walk when the weather is nice. I find God often meets me during those long walks. My work out time is often a time for me to listen to sermons, play praise music, or even pray.

Now that I recently changed positions at work, I’ve also found ways to listen to praise music throughout my day. I often listen while at my desk.

My drive to work can also be a time of prayer and praise. It’s a great time to pour out my heart to God.

I have prayer books at my desk or in my car. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of picking up my book, finding a prayer, and praying it sincerely.

Find ways to add God to your daily activities. Small things can make a huge difference.

Find like-minded friends. This one is a huge focus for us this year! We need community. We need friendship. We are in a new season of life, and it’s a challenge to find friendship.

A few weeks ago, I reached out to some dear, godly friends. Although we are scattered around the country, we are trying to meet weekly on Zoom and spend some time sharing our hearts and praying together. I am also reaching out to friends and trying to schedule at least one lunch each week. It’s been so much fun to reconnect with women I’ve known for years! And, I’m finding that we are all struggling with some of the same things.

Here’s the thing: God never intended for us to do life alone. The times I’ve seen the most spiritual growth have been the times I’ve had community, friends who love Jesus and are committed to growing spiritually as well. We can never underestimate the power of friendship!

If I’m honest, I know the things that help me focus my heart and mind on Him. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being intentional to do those things.