“Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.” 1 Chronicles 22:19
Sounds so simple, doesn’t it!? Sometimes we read things in the Bible that make us wonder if life was really different back then or if we’re doing something wrong or if they knew something back then and didn’t include that along with verses like these, like how to get in touch with God, like his direct phone number or real Twitter profile. There have been times in my life too when I’ve prayed really hard and spent lots of time meditating on God’s world and felt like I wasn’t getting it or wasn’t listening hard enough.
The whole “sounds simple but doesn’t seem to be” concept is something we see in life too. Think about the jobs you’ve applied for or relationships that looked so promising from the start but once you got into them, the more bad stuff you uncovered or found yourself surrounded by sharks and sheer cliffs.
However, I think that it is as simple as Chronicles presents: our relationship with God starts with us seeking God. He may seek us out, but in order for it to be a relationship, and for Him to be able to declare us His, we have to respond to his invitation. The mis-connect occurs when we start believing that God will always respond to our seeking in the same way, or when we believe that we will get exactly what we ask for.
When we choose to seek out God, we have to remember that we’re seeking God out, not God’s response to our big crisis, not inspiration from God for a project, not guidance on a decision we need to make, but just God. Don’t get me wrong, God wants us to share the little things that bother us and we’re concerned about with Him. But when you seek out specifics less, and God more, you’ll be more open to the ways God wants to work in your life. And trust me, He can’t wait to get to work in your life. You’ve got amazing potential, a beautiful heart and a precious soul that God loves very much.
Just like you probably wanted a beautiful Valentine’s Day a few weeks ago, God wants you to seek Him out. Look for God in your life, but also be open for the other ways and places God wants to show up in your life. You’ll begin to see more results and responses from God, and be encouraged to participate in the relationship more too.
Laura Dickey 