As I sit here at the dinner table of my home, lights off with just the sunlight from the side door pouring in, I anxiously wait for the words to spill out... and then I realize how much of a jumpy, uneasy person I am. Sigh, I'm a worrier. I worry when there's a phone call... will it be bad news this time?
I worry if it rains hard enough... a tree might fall through my roof. I worry I accidentally said the wrong words to someone... and now they think I'm a terrible person. I worry about my health and finances. I worry I give the wrong impression if my Instagram is not perfectly pretty. I worry... about worrying. And just like that, I've become Wemberly Worried, the character in the children's book I read to our class this past year.
This morning I decided to start first off reading the bible and my devotionals along with it before I began my day. I don't know about you guys, but you know how when you ask God to show you something, and you're like "WOAH that's it!" when He actually does?
The overall theme was so obvious, it speared right through my heart. In John 21:15, Jesus asks Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" Jesus asks this question three times. "More than these" could have easily been anything else that Peter placed before Jesus.
In Genesis 4:4, Abel brought the first of his flock and of the fat to God as his sacrifice and offering. Do you see what's going on here? God wants to be the first important thing in your life. What do you place before God? If I'm going to be honest, as much as I say I'm not going to... worry and fear to terrorize me before running to God first. But why?
Jesus specifically tells us in Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you." I often ask God for the same things, and I get so upset and frustrated because He's not answering in the time I want. And then it brings me to think maybe we want the answer to our problems more than God's own plan for us.
But is it possible that God is trying to change us before our circumstance? I think so. Jesus never said, follow me and forget everything else you ever wanted.
No, He said, follow me first and then everything else you need will be given to you.
We all make this mistake thinking other things like our careers, relationships, status, and yes even family should be first. God wants to transform your life, no mistake in that.
But before He does He needs you to put Him first. I promise you, once you do... be prepared for the change of a lifetime.
