What We Prioritize
So live the rest of your earthly life no longer concerned with human desires but consumed with what brings pleasure to God. 1 Peter 4:2 TPT
Insight
We walk through our days consumed with a million little concerns and cravings that steal our attention. I don’t know about you, but my mind is constantly running through a list of things I have to do and decisions I need to make. As a result, I have difficulty staying in the present because I am so caught up thinking about what’s next on my schedule. And when I’m not thinking about what has to be done, I am thinking about what I want.
Our brains are wired to seek out what makes us feel comfortable, happy, and gratified in the short-term. We want to escape boredom, hard emotions, and insecurity—and we often make unwise choices to do so. Many of us use substances, Netflix binges, romantic pursuits, dieting, and other maladaptive escapes to satisfy our souls. But short-term pleasures often come with a cost, not only to ourselves but to the people we love most. The things we use to distract and numb ourselves nearly always compromise our relationships with God and His children.
Life is best lived when God is our top priority. We are at our healthiest, spiritually and emotionally, when we place first things first. Our lives become an act of worship when we privilege our long-term desires over our short-term urges.
When we are concerned most with what brings pleasure to God, we will find that all of our other needs are met (Matthew 6:33). Centering our lives around God’s desires doesn’t only benefit us, but those around us. We become better at serving both our enemies and our friends. When we adopt God’s desires as our own, we learn more about His character and foster greater intimacy with Him. This is truly the way to live life to the fullest.
So what brings pleasure to God? When we lay down our lives for our friends (John 15:13). When we fight for justice (Micah 6:8). When we use our words to build others up (Ephesians 4:29). When we refrain from judging others (Matthew 7:1-5). When we bring our doubts, fears, and burdens to His feet (Matthew 11:28-30).
Today, let’s take a small step to do what pleases God. Let’s give up our comfort in favor of serving a higher purpose. We are privileged to take part in the mission to bring God’s kingdom to earth—and it all begins with making God’s concerns our own.
Reflection
Is there a way you’ve been seeking pleasure that has compromised your relationship with God and/or your ability to love others?
What is one small way you can place God’s concerns over your own today?
Prayer
Father, thank You for Who You are. Thank You for having higher and more loving concerns than mine—my concerns often center around what I have to do and what I want. Help me to forgive myself, as You forgive me, for prioritizing my short-term cravings and obligations over what is truly important. Guide me, in Your grace, to offer my desires up to You. In Your perfect time, make me concerned with what concerns You. God, I want to live a life defined by loving You and those around me as best as I can. Empower me to love what You love and prioritize what You tell me to prioritize. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.