In Matthew 6:32-33 I read, “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (NLT)
When I pray for something more than once, I’m not convincing God to do it. He is already waiting to give it to me! He just wants to know what’s really important to me.
Praying persistently tests my priorities. If it’s not worth praying about repeatedly, then it isn’t a priority.
If I want to know what’s important to me, it will be whatever I worry about most. Worry tells me what’s important in my life. If I worry about it, it’s important to me. If I don’t worry about it, then either I’ve entrusted it to God, or it’s not that important to me.
Every time I start to worry, I should stop and turn the worry into a prayer. If I prayed about everything I worried about, I’d have a lot less to worry about. Worry won’t change anything. But prayer can change everything!
Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:32-33 NLT).
When my priorities are right, God’s answer is “yes.” He’ll give me all I need if my first concern is to live for his kingdom.
I may be saying, “I’m waiting on God to answer this prayer.” Am I waiting on God, or is he waiting on me? Maybe he wants to test my desire and priorities. He wants to know what’s most important in my life before he gives me an answer.
The Bible promises, “The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right” (Psalm 84:11 NLT).
When I’m living for Jesus, when I’m giving him my attention and staying connected to him, then he is ready to give me what my heart desires.
God won’t hold back any of his goodness!
In summary, worry dominates the thoughts of unbelievers, but my heavenly Father already knows all my needs. I am to seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give me everything I need. When I pray for something more than once, I’m not convincing God to do it. He is already waiting to give it to me! He just wants to know what’s really important to me. Praying persistently tests my priorities. If it’s not worth praying about repeatedly, then it isn’t a priority. What’s important to me, it will be whatever I worry about most. Worry tells me what’s important in my life. If I don’t worry about it, then either I’ve entrusted it to God, or it’s not that important to me. Every time I start to worry, I should stop and turn the worry into a prayer. Worry won’t change anything. But prayer can change everything! When my priorities are right, God’s answer is “yes.” He’ll give me all I need if my first concern is to live for his kingdom. Am I waiting on God, or is he waiting on me? Maybe he wants to test my desire and priorities. He wants to know what’s most important in my life before he gives me an answer. When I’m living for Jesus, when I’m giving him my attention and staying connected to him, then he is ready to give me what my heart desires.
To "seek the Kingdom of God above all else" means to put God first in my life, to fill my thoughts with his desires, to take his character for my pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. What is really important to me? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly become most important to me if I don't actively choose to give God first place in every area of my life.
Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me.
Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.
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