Pursuits and Priorities

It is easy to be distracted or consumed in this world with chasing our personal pursuits, careers, chores, and getting lost in the overall busyness of life. We may find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted or anxious. Sometimes it dominates our lives. When we are in such a state, we need to ask ourselves "what are my eyes set on?"

We often think "if I get this goal or if I get that house or if I get that job or if I get more money or if I get this chore off my list or if I busy myself with this or that or, if, if, if.. then I will have relief or life will be better or I will have happiness."

Sure, obtaining those things or goals, might make life seem easier, but they are all temporary. They can come and go in an instant.

Solomon shared his wisdom about these pursuits in ‭Ecclesiastes 2:22-23,

"What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless."

Solely focusing on our personal earthly pursuits, without God in the picture, is meaningless and fruitless in the end. All of it is temporary and evaporates away. We read in ‭James 1:11,

‭"The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements."

Apostle Paul reminds us in ‭2 Corinthians 4:18,
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Having our eyes fixed on what is everlasting is the key to getting out from under the weight of this world along with its distractions, exhaustion and emotional strain. Jesus teaches us that when we have our priorities properly aligned, all that we need will be provided...as we read in ‭Matthew 6:31-33,

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Maintaining the proper perspective and focus on Jesus, our Heavenly Father and the eternal Kingdom, frees us from the bondage of being consumed by earthly pursuits.

Let us evaluate our priorities and what we are pursuing first in our lives. Are we pursuing God first or are we pursuing our own agenda first? As Jesus teaches us in ‭Matthew 6:24,

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other."

God desires to bless us in our pursuits, but we need to strive to pursue Him first and give Him thanks for all He has given us. King Solomon shares his God-given wisdom in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20,

"This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart."

So it is good to have goals and pursuits. And God blesses us with the gift to find satisfaction and enjoyment in it's fruits. We only need to pursue God first and make His Kingdom our priority. And let us remember the words of Jesus in ‭Matthew 6:19-21,
‭
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."
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