How does one truly seek God with all their heart? All too often, we seek Him only when trials come. We go about our lives, doing things our way. Then when trials come, we pray. But is that truly seeking God with all our heart? What happens when God’s answer is no. Do we trust Him to know what is best? Hebrews 11: 6 tells us: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” However, what does it mean to diligently seek Him. We must first recognize that God is Sovereign. He is perfect righteousness and His desire is to transform us into the likeness of His Son; that, we might rejoice in His Presence for all of eternity.
This is certainly not a frivolous seeking Him, only when we face trials. But, rather, it is to seek Him first and foremost as Lord of our lives. We must turn from our sin and seek God. His will for our life, even if His will is different than our selfish desires. Salvation is not just a way to avoid the damnations of hell. Instead, we are to seek God with all our heart and trust His Sovereign Grace, accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He is the only way to the Father. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
Salvation is recognizing that I am a sinner. Jesus Christ-God incarnate, died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin and won the victory over sin and death. Then, by faith, accepting His gift of salvation, I now have a relationship with God.
SEEK GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
David wrote in Psalm 27: 7-8 “Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me. When thou saidst, “Seek ye my face’; my heart said unto thee, ‘Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” If we truly understand the gift of Salvation that we are given, we will fall before Him in adoration and praise. We will want to know Him more. That means, we will seek God when life is filled with blessings as much as when life turns upside down. We will trust His plan in our life, even when we do not understand. So, how do we seek God?
God said, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Note, we are to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. Oh, certainly I cannot in my own power and strength overcome sin in my life. But God can. He has promised to every believer that His Holy Spirit will indwell us. The Holy Spirit in us can overcome sin in our life. But how do we release this power? By seeking God in prayer and reading His Word. Therein lies all the power we need.
Warning!
Proverbs 1:24-30
“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”
To seek God only as a “fixer” of problems, ignoring His counsel and denying Christ as the only means of Salvation is not how to truly seek God. The first commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all of thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). Therefore, He is our greatest treasure and to seek God is to conform to His will; trusting Him to perform in and through us what we cannot do ourselves. We are to abide in Jesus Christ and His sacrificial love for us.
Concluding Thoughts:
First and foremost, do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, that is my prayer for you. If you do, I pray you seek Him by spending time with Him each day.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. Because there is nothing more important than this, I urge you to seek Him today.
ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?
If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here
Or if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts comment here
For previous posts
How to Labor with Joy: not in vain
Or for poetry
My One Desire: All Else I Count But Loss
Books Available
If you want to know more about books I have written: You can read more about each one at: Book Resources.
Or for inspirational photos or home decor click here.
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Footnotes and Credits
Introduction Photo by Peter Dlhy on Unsplash