The Power in Our Priorities

As my children get older, I find myself looking back a lot and wondering what I forgot to teach them.  Some of that is evident as I watch them make mistakes, and while I know that it is necessary to let them  suffer the consequences of poor decisions, it isn’t an easy thing to do. 

We have children and it seems like we start asking them as soon as they go to school, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”.  High schools expect incoming freshmen to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives before they register for classes, so that they can be assured to be on the “right track”.  They are 14 years old.  I know several people that are 44 years old and don’t know what they want to do with the rest of their lives.

As a nation we are achievers, strivers, and accumulators.  The American Dream is really a wonderful thing, to be able to see that virtually anything is within our reach if we just work hard enough is amazing.  There is nothing sinful about being successful in your career, as a matter of fact, it honors God when you work hard and set a good example in the workplace, but success can be addicting and just like any addict, it’s possible we will do whatever it takes to get it and keep it.

   

There are a lot of demands on our time, and unless we make God a priority, He will be the one that gets neglected most easily.  Spending time reading the Bible daily or finding 10 minutes of quiet time to pray and listen get shifted from today’s to do list to tomorrows.  I speak from experience. Been there..done that. 

Don’t be shocked when God does something to grab your attention and shift your focus back on Him. 

When He does, will you blame Him for it while throwing a tantrum?  Lots of us do.

 But, sometimes that’s what it takes.

God wants us to be relational.  He wants us to reflect His light onto the rest of the world.  You might interact with many people every day, but are you building a relationship with them?  Look for people who need to see God’s light and reach out to them. 

Ask God to provide you with a friend or mentor who will pray with you and for you, while loving you as He does.  This person and those prayers will open your eyes to the parts of your life that might be separating you from growing in your relationships with the Lord and with your family.

What do I want my kids to be when they grow up?  My first thought, now, doesn’t go to a career.  I want them to be happy and confident in their own relationship with God.  I still want them to be independent and support themselves financially, but those things don’t bring true happiness.  Only God can do that.

Passages to Ponder:

Mark 8:36- And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

Matthew 6:33- Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

Psalm 39:6- We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.  We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.

Contributors:  Karen Bromby, Michele Killion and Kim McClure