When I can, I like to take a long quiet walk in the early morning. The newness of the day reminds me how majestic the whole of God’s creation truly is. In the peacefulness, my goal is to spend little time talking to God, and most of it simply taking in the breathtaking beauty of nature and listening to His voice. I generally start with a quick prayer of gratitude and then lay out what is on my mind. Then I simply walk and listen. Today I learned a lot about seeking God. It’s ironic that I learned more about seeking in just a few minutes of listening than I have in the hours I have spent busying myself attempting to seek Him.
I’ve been reading in the Old Testament lately, in the books of Chronicles and Kings. This can be heavy reading and, for me at least, can sometimes be difficult to relate to my life. One of the repeated themes in these books is how the Kings of Israel and Judah refused to seek God. It’s easy to read while shaking our heads at them, but as I was reflecting on these scriptures as I walked I wondered if I was truly seeking God. Sure, I do a lot of things that might give the appearance of seeking, but are they really drawing me closer to Him?
The ancient kings of Israel erected idols to worship in place of God. I sensed God asking if I had any idols still standing in my own life. Sadly, I know I do. There are times when I pursue peace and comfort in things rather than in God alone. Until He is the Lord in every area of our lives, His power will be restricted. There are so many things that we “worship” instead of Him: food, money, possessions, leisure, relationships, career, etc. We worry and obsess about things over which we have no control. We seek comfort and security for ourselves. But Jesus said to seek Him first, and all these other things will be given to us (Matthew 6:33).
This doesn’t necessarily mean if we totally devote our lives to Christ that we will be forever healthy and wealthy. Our world is flooded with sin and populated by free agents that have a penchant for spoiling God’s perfect design for us. However, if we will put Him first in all things, we will release incredible power into our lives; a power that is pure, good, and just.
Seeking God is not about what we do necessarily. Rather, it is an attitude of surrender. When we humble ourselves and give up trying to direct our own life, we will find Him ready to lead. We must come to Him daily, baring our souls, admitting our weaknesses, and begging Him to save and direct us. Seeking God isn’t about being busy for Him, but rather being quiet before Him. When we admit our weakness, He will strengthen us (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). When we let go of our worry and concerns, He will supply our needs (Luke 12:22-34). We need only to seek Him.