Dear Reader: We’re beginning a new season.
I am currently in the process of compiling a series of 40 devotionals focused on exploring the practical aspects of seeking first the Kingdom of God. Today's entry, titled "Day Three," contains a new feature called "Daily Insight." Your feedback is invaluable to this project. By liking the devotionals that resonate with you, you provide essential metrics that will assist me in selecting the most impactful 40 for the final compilation. If you're accessing this through email, simply click the "view original post" link at the bottom of the email. This will direct you to a page where you can like the post.
Additionally, you may recognize some of the content in the upcoming devotionals. I am revisiting and refining material from over 150 devotionals I have previously written, aiming to choose the 40 that have the greatest impact. Your reading and participation in this process are greatly appreciated, as they are crucial in helping me narrow down to the top 40 devotionals. Thank you for your support and engagement.
Without further ado, here is today’s devotional.
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Daily Insight:
The greatest struggle for most Christians in seeking first the Kingdom of God isn't sin, apathy, or lack of motivation—it’s disordered loves. It's not that we love the wrong things, but the right things in the wrong order.
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Matthew 6:33 (CSB): "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you."
Imagine you're climbing a ladder. You've been climbing this ladder for a long time, pouring your energy, ambition, and time into ascending higher and higher. The rungs are sturdy; your grip is firm. You're making progress, and you feel a sense of achievement with each step. But then, as you near the top and look up, you realize something startling: the ladder is leaning against the wrong building.
The main struggle in pursuing the Kingdom isn't always the obvious pitfalls of sin or apathy. It's more subtle yet profoundly impactful—the disorder of our loves. It's not that we love the wrong things; instead, we often love the right things in the wrong order, leading us astray from our primary love for God. When our ladder of seeking first the Kingdom of God is propped against the wall of misplaced priorities, we may climb higher but never reach our Kingdom purpose.
Identifying Disordered Loves
1 John 2:15 (CSB): "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Imagine you're holding a magnifying glass, one that can reveal the intricate details of whatever it's focused on. Now, picture your life as a vast landscape of various activities, relationships, and pursuits. What do you see getting magnified as you move this magnifying glass over your life, zooming in on different areas? What aspects of your life receive the most time, affection, and attention?
This magnifying glass represents our ability to self-reflect and examine our priorities. Just as a magnifying glass brings small things into clear view, self-examination brings into focus where our true loves lie. Are we spending most of our time accumulating wealth or pursuing career success? Are our affections primarily based on our hobbies or leisure activities? Or is our focus on nurturing our relationship with God and others?
The things that consume most of our time and passion indicate what we genuinely love. If we find that our time, affection, and attention are disproportionately centered on worldly pursuits, it's like watering the leaves of a plant but neglecting its roots. It might look thriving on the surface, but the core—the essential part of our spiritual life—is being starved.
Living from the Right Source
Psalm 1:3 (CSB): "He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."
When our primary focus is on God, aligning our desires with His will is like nourishing a plant's roots. Everything else—our relationships, work, leisure—receives life from this central source. They flourish not because they are the main focus, but because they are fed from the right source.
This examination isn't meant to induce guilt but to recalibrate our focus. It's an invitation to realign our time, affection, and attention with what truly matters—seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first. As we do this, we'll find that our loves are ordered correctly, and our lives reflect the richness of a relationship rooted deeply in our identity in Christ.