Something hit me today while I was making my daughter’s bed. I love how God can speak to me anytime, even in the most mundane of tasks. My husband and I recently volunteered to be a mentor couple for engaged couples at our church. While widely outside of our comfort zone and feeling as though we don’t have enough experience (would we ever feel as if we do?) I felt a calling toward this ministry and we decided to say “yes.”
As I was daydreaming and thinking about what I would share with an engaged couple, God laid on my heart that He alone is to be number one in our lives. I think this is an idea most of us have heard about. I would venture to say we would even agree and say that we do put God first. But, I wonder if the lives we live actually show this? Until this afternoon, I personally have not given it much deep thought as to how putting God first actually affects our lives and relationships.
In my day to day life, I will admit, there are times and seasons in which I stray from the Lord. I allow other things to consume my thoughts and time. I am busy with the kids, work, taking care of a home, reading a new book, putting my all into another project and slowly I stray. Then one day I “wake-up” and realize how far I have strayed and wonder to myself how I let it happen? I am so grateful for grace, aren’t you?
I usually become acutely aware that this has happened as I observe my own actions and interactions with others. For example, I may notice that I have become short tempered with my kids and my patience for other’s flounders. I’m not as kind to strangers. I don’t find joy in my work and begin to complain. I am so focused on me that I lose sight of the needs and feelings of others. And I suppose, sadly, the list could go on. Please tell me I am not alone here!
And what is the point of all of this? I believe it is the following… if I want to live my best life, and be my best self, then I need to have God at the center of my life. I recently purchased a new version of the Bible called The Message (MSG), and I love the interpretation of Proverbs 3:6 that I found within it. It says, “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” When we choose to actively put God first, every other area of life is directly affected by this one decision.
I adore the verse from Psalm 37 verse 4: “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” I read recently that this doesn’t mean that God will give you everything that you want. It means that when you delight in the Lord and get to know Him better, your desires will fall in line with the desires God has for your life. When we put God first and delight in Him, we become more like God. And what does this look like? We become more patient, we are kinder, gentler, more faithful, and we have more self control to name a few. We honor our spouses and put their needs above our own. We are a better spouse, a better mother, a better friend, and a better person because instead of acting out of our flesh, we are acting out of the desires of God.
So today, I encourage you to put God first. I encourage you to get to know God better. To enter into a loving relationship with our heavenly father, so that when you act, the actions you see are those that are in line with the will of the father. I can’t think a better way to spend my life, can you?
What a Blessing❤️
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