What Are You Seeking? The Key to Finding True Peace and Purpose

In a world filled with endless pursuits and distractions, one question cuts through all the noise: What are you seeking? This fundamental question, alongside "Do you love the Lord?" forms the foundation of authentic Christian living and determines whether we experience peace or anxiety in our daily lives.

The Problem with Misplaced Priorities

Many people today are seeking the wrong things. Some chase after love, others pursue success, wealth, fame, or power. Still others desperately search for inner peace, happiness, or contentment. While these desires aren't inherently wrong, Jesus warns us that seeking these things as our primary focus leads only to disappointment, frustration, and failure.

The truth is, we all live for something. Our ambitions are directed somewhere, and our hearts are always pursuing something. The question isn't whether we're seeking - it's what we're seeking first.

What Does It Mean to Seek God's Kingdom?

Jesus gives us clear direction in Luke 12:31: "Seek first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." But what exactly is God's kingdom?

The Kingdom Defined

Simply put, the kingdom of God is the rule and reign of Christ. When we seek His kingdom, we're choosing to:

• Seek His rule and reign in our lives
• Pursue His righteousness and holiness
• Desire to be controlled by His Holy Spirit
• Trust in and follow His will by His grace
• Make Him our everything

Why Seeking God First Changes Everything

When we seek first the reign and rule of God in our lives, everything else falls into proper balance. This is the foundational truth of Christian living. We cannot truly love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, or love our neighbors as ourselves, unless we first seek God's kingdom - because that's where all grace flows from.

The Small Circle of Our Responsibility

God gives us a very small portion of responsibility in life. If you picture your life with two circles - one large and one small - only the tiny circle represents what you can actually control. Everything else is outside your influence. Your job is simple: seek first the kingdom of God. His job is to take care of everything else.

Daily Decisions Reveal Our True Priorities

Every day we make a series of decisions about which kingdom we'll seek - our own or God's. These choices reveal themselves in practical ways:

• Will we take time for God's Word or scroll social media for hours?
• Will we prioritize prayer or give in to worry?
• Will we attend church and Bible study or make excuses?
• Will we resist temptation or give in to our desires?
• Will we live with integrity even when it costs us?

We often claim we don't have time for God while spending hours on television, social media, or other pursuits. Our schedules reveal our true priorities.

The Treasure Principle

Jesus illustrated the value of God's kingdom through two powerful parables. He described it as a treasure hidden in a field, so valuable that a man sold everything he owned to buy that field. He compared it to a merchant who found a pearl of such great worth that he sold all his possessions to purchase it.

This represents radical, abandoned devotion - what the world might call ridiculous, but what believers recognize as worth forsaking everything to possess.

Jesus concluded this teaching with a penetrating truth: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Our hearts follow our treasure, not the other way around.

Solomon's Example: Wisdom in Seeking

When God appeared to Solomon and said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" - essentially offering a blank check - Solomon demonstrated proper priorities. Instead of asking for riches, power, or personal gain, he requested wisdom to rule God's people well.

God was so pleased with this request that He not only granted Solomon great wisdom but also gave him riches and long life. Because Solomon sought first God's kingdom, God added these other blessings.

However, Solomon's later life serves as a warning. First Kings 11:6 tells us that "Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord as his father David did." Even the most spiritual person can lose focus and drift from their pursuit of God.

The Results of Right Priorities

When we seek first God's kingdom:

• He provides for our needs
• Our marriages are blessed
• Our ministries flourish
• Our families are strengthened
• Our finances are managed well
• We experience peace that passes understanding
• We find joy unspeakable and full of glory

This doesn't mean we won't face trials, persecution, or difficulties. But we'll navigate them with a clear conscience and supernatural peace, keeping our eyes focused on the eternal prize.

Making Christ Lord of Everything

Seeking God's kingdom means allowing Jesus to be Lord over every area of life:

• Your finances and business decisions
• Your relationships and family
• Your personal life and thought patterns
• Your purpose and calling
• Your ministry and service

When He truly becomes Lord of everything, everything else falls into proper balance.

The Alternative Path

Failure to seek God's kingdom first ensures a life filled with worry, fear, uncertainty, and despair. You cannot pray "Thy kingdom come" until you first pray "My kingdom go." Our will must surrender to His will.

Life Application

This week, conduct an honest audit of your priorities. Examine where you spend your time, energy, and resources. Ask yourself: "What am I really seeking first?"

Challenge yourself to make one specific change that demonstrates you're seeking God's kingdom above your own desires. This might mean:

• Starting each day with prayer and Bible reading before checking your phone
• Choosing to attend church or Bible study instead of making excuses
• Making a financial decision based on kingdom principles rather than fear
• Surrendering a relationship or ambition to God's will

Consider these questions for personal reflection:

1. If God offered you a blank check like He did Solomon, what would you honestly ask for first?
2. What areas of your life have you not yet made Jesus the Lord over?
3. How much time do you spend seeking God compared to pursuing other things?
4. What excuses do you make that prevent you from fully pursuing God's kingdom?

Remember, seeking first God's kingdom isn't about perfection - it's about priority. When we get our priorities right, God promises to take care of everything else we need.