SEEK GOD NOT HIS PROMISES

Often, God’s promises are NOT my experience. Don’t get me wrong. I love them and long for them. I seek them and pray for them. But, at times, to no avail. Lately, I think the veil’s been lifting on the reason…at least one of the reasons. I’m seeking and wanting the promises instead of God Himself.

Take contentment… one promise that we all universally desire. Of course, this promise comes in all kinds of forms. From Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want,” to 1 Timothy 6:8, with God… "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

I’m finding that, when I lose contentment, it stems from wanting and seeking contentment more than God. Generally, it looks like this. I want something or to be somewhere that God is not presently providing or leading.  Simply, my source of contentment becomes something other than God and His will for my life.

When this happens, in order to experience the promise of contentment, I begin trying to take it by force. I seek to secure what I want or get to the place I want to be… any way I can. And, I feel “righteous” and “justified” in doing it. After all, I’m seeking one of God’s promises.

Here’s the problem. This will never produce contentment. It will only move it further and further away from my reality. Sadly, this is where I often live… and, if you’re honest, it’s where you often live.

The good news… Jesus addressed this common problem head-on in Matthew 6. People were looking for God’s promises but experiencing the opposite… worry, stress, and anxiety. Here’s the solution Jesus gave… "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well,” Matthew 6:33.

In other words, stop seeking the promises and start seeking God.

So… What are you seeking?