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
