Imagine what life could be if we pursued God above our daily bread, if we put faith above striving.
It was one of the most difficult times in my life. My marketing business was struggling. My customers were slashing their advertising budgets and could no longer afford to pay me. Finding new clients was proving to be nearly impossible.
I was sitting at my desk, worrying about how we would pay the mortgage that month when I received an email from a man named Eric. Eric is a friend of some 30 years, but we had lost touch. I don’t think we had spoken more than once in the previous 10 years.
His email said, “Let’s do lunch.” We set a date for later in the week.
I resumed my fretting over our finances. God, how are we going to pay the bills?
A few years ago, Reader’s Digest conducted an international poll on this question: “What stresses you the most?” And, guess what topped the list?
Money.
Yep. The thing we worry about most—more than family, more than health, more than the state of the world—is money.
Jesus said we shouldn’t fret:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26, NIV)
I read these words and I wanted to believe them. I really did. Yet, I doubted.
I believed that God provides for his people; but, I wasn’t sure he’d do it for me.
Eric and I met for lunch. We did a lot of catching up. He then asked me how business was going. “I could really use an anchor client,” I said, “one that I could bill about 20 hours a week.”
“I may know someone,” he replied.
Two weeks later, I was under contract with a new client. We were able to pay the mortgage.
I marveled at God’s faithfulness. He had arranged an out-of-the-blue lunch with an old friend that led to the provision we desperately needed.
Two years later, that consulting contract was coming to a natural conclusion. During a monthly meeting of a roundtable group to which I belong, one of the other participants handed me a business card. He said, “Call this guy. He’s got a big project you might be able to help with.”
I followed up that same day. Despite getting in at the eleventh hour, I won the contract over other bidders.
Again, I was in awe. Who else but God could do this?
I could tell you story after story of his favor and his faithfulness, playing out in my life. It’s true: God really does care for us, much more than the birds of the air.
But, as he lovingly provides, he also wants something in return. Further along in that passage of Scripture, Jesus said:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33, NIV)
Jesus is talking about priorities. He is saying that if we will first take care of God’s business, he will take care of our business.
So, how do we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”? It starts by wanting a relationship with him. It also means being fully obedient, allowing him to do with your life as he will.
Unfortunately, most of the time we don’t seek God first. When we do seek him, it’s typically when we want something and only after we’ve tried everything else.
Imagine what life could be if we pursued God above our daily bread, if we put faith above striving.
That life would be amazing! The stories I shared with you are proof—proof that we have a faithful and loving Father.
I consider myself to be extremely wealthy. Not by world standards, but by Kingdom standards. I have less stress, more peace. I have less anguish, more joy. I have God’s timely provision.
I am not going to tell you that I have it all together; far from it. There are days when I feel like my faith is so small. But, every day God gives me new opportunities to grow deeper in him.
You, too, can have this; you can have the life God intended for you. It’s a wonderful life that includes him meeting every one of your needs.
God really does love you; you are of immeasurable value to Him.
I hope that you will take the words of Jesus to heart. Ask God to show you how to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. He is faithful to do it, just as he is faithful to provide for you.
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