Clothes, food, money, all these are things for the heathen
to run after, not for you, because your heavenly Father knows that you need
them all. Set your mind on God’s kingdom and His justice before everything
else, and all the rest will come to you as well. So do not be anxious about
tomorrow, tomorrow will look after itself… Matthew 6:32-34 NEB
When I see others, the question that comes to mind sometimes
is, “What are they running after?” At times it can be easy to see in others, by
how they live their lives. In ways, such as how they spend their time, and who
they spend it with. Think about those people you know, and can see how they are
running after the wrong things. But eventually we have to ask ourselves the
same question. What are you running after? We all want to say we are seeking
God’s kingdom first, but is that really true? I wish I could say it was true
with my life, but I know it isn’t true. Are you seeking God’s kingdom through
seeking His will for your life and seeking to serve Him with your lives and in
the lives of others? Or do you tend to seek your will and desires first and then
want God’s blessing in your choices. We tend to live in one of these, but
sometimes we put one foot in one, and the other foot on the other side. If you
had to make a choice, which one do you spend you’re most time in?
I would say most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking
about which one they live in. We tend to think about it when there is a crisis
or trial that we are going through. But on the average are we intentional
seeking God’s will and kingdom first? The intentional life is one that is
seeking God to know where to go, where to turn and what to do. On the other
hand the life that is mostly unintentional focuses on what one want, and when
things go badly, and then they seek after God’s will, a will that included the
fulfillment of their desires. Are you on a boat that is drifting down the river
of life with, or without having oars to steer you? Because the one we choose to
live in will take us to one of two places; one is God’s will and the other is at
a place based on self. Because sin will keep us longer, the consequences will
be more painful and draw us farther from God’s plan for our life.
Back to the question, what are you running after? This will
be a good gauges to answering the question of are you seeking God’s will or
your own. Do you see money as your security? Will it make and keep you content
and comfortable? For the single, do you date those who fit into what you want,
or do you seek what God wants for you? When it comes to a career, is it what
will give you the most status, benefits and promotion? Or is your life based on
fun, so you surround yourself with those who bring you the most enjoyment, but
when relationships start to become complicated or cost you something, then you
bail on them.
What are some of the things you are chasing after, what are
some of the things you are pursuing? Maybe another way of phrasing it is, what
is running your life? This can’t be answered in a few minutes, but one must put
some time and thought to know the answer, because we must look past our desires
in rationalizing, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us. What you are
running after, good or bad will dictate how you spend your time, who you spend
your time with, and will be the master of your life. What do you set your mind
on to bring you contentment, peace, and rest? Most likely this is what you are
running after.
