First

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” - Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

What is your primary concern?

Safety? Food? Shelter? Security? Tomorrow?

As I have had to travel a little more than usual of late, I have found myself with plenty of time to think on the many flights and drives. I have found myself concerned about the work I was missing and the work we were about to do. I found myself thinking about financial concerns and the future. I found myself thinking about how I was going to take care of my girls, protect them, teach them. And thinking about how they were growing up and how I was losing time to spend with them.

Then at some point between moments of sleep and awake, I found myself thinking of God and the work at hand. Reminded of today’s passage, especially verse 33...

“... and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”

Is the Kingdom of God my primary concern or is everything else primary? Are all these other concerns and worries and pressures of the moment what I primarily live for and/or live to resolve, or is it the Lord first and foremost?

Where does Jesus really fit in my personal order of importance?

Where do I fit?

In those moments of prayer and travel time, my thoughts began to fall less and less on me and my comfort and the comfort of Amy and the girls, to focusing more and more on Jesus and how he may have wanted me uncomfortable so that I could find comfort in Him...
So I could become more and more focused on Him...
So that I would rely on Him and His strength instead of me and my own.

I’m learning that my thoughts, concerns and worries need to grow to be less and less about me and more and more about Jesus.

And when things become more normal and time on the road eventually becomes less, will I have learned the lesson? Or will I fall back into the same old habits, the same old thoughts, the same old control issues… fall into the same old “it’s all about me” mentality?

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem