If you are a Christian than hopefully you are seeking a life that goes deeper with God every single day. I've grew up listening to messages about seeking God's will, seeking God's face, seeking God's presence...but I never really understood what it might take to get there like I have over the past couple of years. So many times the things we add into our lives are the very things that are keeping us from getting to that place we talk about getting with God. Sometimes we call those things "blessings" because we feel our life is abundant. However I have to come to learn that just because we have stuff in our life does not mean we are blessed. Sometimes it is not until we start to strip away some of those things do we really open the doors and windows for God to truly pour His blessings out on us.
Ironically enough, I have discovered that when I begin to ask God for more He begins to ask me for less. He does not ask me for less of me, but for me to have less things that are taking up the time I could be spending with Him. And when I started to clear some of the busyness and the clutter out of my life I found that I could see Him more in it. When I started leaving time open in my schedule so I could travel to a service and spend time worshiping Him, I found that my time was being better spent. When the TV got turned off and I either spent time directly with Him, or time fellowshipping with other believers, I found my life had more joy. When I began to pray about the things I let my money get spent on, instead of buying something just for the sake of having it, I found more peace in my finances. And even some of the relationships in my life. When I let God have His way I noticed that some of those began to take a different place in my life too. When I let Him tend to the "garden" that I call life I found that He pulled out lots of weeds that just didn't need to be there. And the result of that has been a closer relationship with Him and a stronger faith to share with others. And when our walk with Jesus becomes about anything else other than getting closer to Him and sharing Him with others, it is time to take a closer look at what we really have with Him. We can so easily let God become just another part of our life if we are not careful. So many things pull at us for our time and attention and before you know it your "God time" is just another scheduled time in your day or week. Maybe it is 30 minutes in the morning and a couple of hours on Sunday....but that is not what He wants.
I've found that when I let God be the one who brings things in and out of my life it makes life a lot easier. If I pray for Him to close or open a door and it actually closes or opens I don't have to question it. It's what I prayed for. But I have to be WILLING to let God have control of things in my life or it will never work. We can't ask God to bring things in and take things out of our life that will grow us closer to Him, and then have an "except that" clause. God needs full access to our hearts and in order to get that He must have full access into our lives. Imagine trying to start a marriage and telling your spouse that there is one part of your life that they can't have access to. Saying they have to stay out of that area and can't have any input on those certain things. That relationship sure wouldn't go very far. The person would feel shut out and hurt that you didn't want to share it all with them. Well I believe we are capable of doing the same thing to God, and we shut Him out and hurt Him. But we also limit what He is able to do in and with our lives....and that is one of the worst things you can ever do with God because He wants more for you than you could ever want for yourself. Philippians 4:19 tells us that He wants to supply our every need. James 1:17 says every good and perfect gift is from above. Numbers 6:24-26 says The Lord will keep you, let His face shine upon you and give you peace. Nothing in this world is worth limiting God's ability to do all these things for you. So ask Him today what things may need to either take a different place in your life, or need to go from your life, so that He can be at the place that He needs and desires to be.
God, thank You that You chase us. You love us and want to be with us. That is so hard for me to wrap my head around...but Your love, grace and mercy shows me this daily. Please help us have hearts that will hear and obey when you are correcting and directing our lives because we know You have so much more for us when we give you full access into our lives. As you fill us, please help us to be a light to others so Your kingdom work can be done through us. In Jesus name, Amen
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