When
you woke up this morning what was the first thought on your mind? Was
it motivating yourself to go to work or school? Was it the fear of
financial or relational difficulties? Was it the worry of what others
think of you in a public atmosphere? If any of these thoughts sound
familiar, it is the devil who is trying to keep you distant from God -
in these moments when we are kept distant from the Father, are the times
when we are most vulnerable to the attacks of the devil as described in
1 Peter 5:8, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." The good news
is, regardless of what your last thought was, God desires to spend time
your next thoughts with you! Now I understand that God is typically not
the first priority on our minds every morning, but hear me out - in
those mornings when I surrender my first thoughts to Him are the days
when it seems that I am completely free of all my worries and troubles!
But get this, in those mornings when I seek God first, it's not because I
feel I HAVE to spend time with Him, but that I DESIRE to spend time
with Him just as He desires to spend time with me!
Seth
Curry is the starting guard for Duke University, a basketball program
that demands a lot from each of its players. More importantly than being
a basketball player though, Seth has boldly proclaimed his christian
faith in that Jesus Christ is the number 1 priority in his life. In an
interview with CBN sports, Seth admitted that it's not easy growing
under the spotlight of his older brother, Stephen, whom was a standout
guard for Davidson University and currently plays for the Golden State
Warriors; however, the reason Seth is able to ignore the comparisons
between him and his brother is solely because he has chosen to seek God
first and glorifies Him through his basketball abilities. Seth's worries
of ever living up to the expectations of his older brother are
forgotten and he is able to focus on his basketball career! Just like
Seth, whom has chosen to put God first in his life, Jesus demands the
same from each of His followers as He quoted in
Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you." Another verse that I feel is
applicable to maintaining a steady life, through seeking God first, can
be seen in Proverbs 16:3 which says, "Commit your work to the Lord, and
your plans will be established." You see, if we are willing to dedicate
our first thoughts in the morning and our last thoughts before bed to
God, He will create an intended path for us, one that we are completely
free of worrying about!
As
we all know, fear is an emotion that sometimes seems impossible to get
rid of. A majority of the time, fear is what prevents us from reaching
the path that God has intended for us. But God didn't create us to live a
life full of fear, rather, He gave us life with the goal to glorify Him
through each moment that we're blessed with. I wish I could tell you
that trials would never come to you, but then how would you grow in your
faith? Think about it. Even though fear is part of life, when we choose
to seek God first in our lives, He gives us the strength to persevere
through whatever trial we're faced with! As it says in Psalm 34:19 "Many
are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of
all of them."
It's simple, seek God first and make His way above your own and watch
how God grants you the strength to push through fear from your own life!
The only question left, is where does God rank amongst all your own
priorities?
- Madison Franek
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