Priorities
I was reading a book to my daughter by Dr. Seuss called “Oh The Places You’ll Go.” I’m sure most of you have read it before. This book talks about life and the trials that come. It elaborates in describing times of joy and times that you will be in a slump. One point that stuck out to me was that it highlighted you will choose what your life will be. While this is a children’s book these basic concepts can be applied to several areas of our lives. The road we take is up to us and our lives are the sum of our choices and what we spend giving our attention to. We often view life as happening to us rather than something we are choosing. So, if our life is the sum of our choices, how do we decide where to place our priorities?
I was always taught to prioritize God first, then family and everything else. However, in evaluating my life it would be very easy to let what should be first move to last and that is alarming to me. Friends, the world can distract us in very subtle ways. If we look at Matthew 10, here Jesus is giving instructions to the twelve disciples prior to sending them out. Verse 37 says, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” This confirms for me that God should be first and family should be second. Let me clarify, I don’t think God is saying to neglect our family, but rather to love God with all our heart and through that, our love will transcend to our family and beyond. Jesus calls us each to something. We all have a God given purpose, but in order to know what this is we must have a relationship with Him. You cannot expect to know how to be a lawyer or doctor if you don’t study law or medicine. Similarly, you cannot know what God is calling you to be if you don’t study and read the Bible. This is the foundation for which we should build our lives.
In all honesty, the end of this week was hard for me. I lost my footing in climbing my mountain. It felt like I was punched in the gut. I was easily derailed by earthly things. I briefly lost who I was and who God had called me to be. Rather, than believing that I was doing what God had called me to do, I questioned everything. As I began to share this with family and close friends, I quickly realized how the enemy had infused my thoughts and was holding me captive. These strongholds felt paralyzing. I was placing my worth and my value in a place it did not belong without even realizing I was doing it. Have you ever been there? I think most of us have. I want you to know that if you are in a stronghold or if there is something gripping you that you feel stuck, cry out to God. Open your Bible. He hears you and loves you. Psalm 73: 23-26 says “Yet I am always with you; you hold me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Let God be your counselor and your strength. Or if we look at one of my favorite verses Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Sisters, there are so many verses in scripture where the Lord talks about holding our hand, walking with us, protecting us, and going before us. We are the daughters of The King, chosen by him and nothing can take that away from us. Not losing a job, not betrayal, not the loss of a loved one, nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus, Amen! So, if you are in that place, name the lies and start declaring the truths of scripture. Don’t keep your pain hidden. Share it with someone you trust and pray. The enemy makes us feel ashamed or embarrassed of things that typically, if kept quiet, will keep us in bondage. There is freedom in speaking it out loud. We are not meant to walk through life alone. Don’t allow yourself to believe the lie that no one cares. God sees you and He cares, I care, and the people around you likely care too. Let’s start our week out how Christ recommends in Ephesians 6: 10-20 by putting on our armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand our ground.
Lord, thank you for loving us and accepting us for who we are rather than what we accomplish. Father, I pray for protection of our minds. The things of this world will try to derail us. Help us to cling to you, walking hand in hand with you as we put on your armor. Protect us from any evil that may penetrate our souls. We love you. It’s in your name I pray, Amen.