Read Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Have you ever had a friend who fell “head-over-heels-in-love”? They suddenly seem to have a “skip in their step” and a permanent smile on their face. This is because they are completely focused on the pursuit of intimacy with their new flame. The world could be falling apart and they’d barely notice!

This single-minded focus that overpowers all other concerns is similar to the life that Jesus calls us to. As he wraps up his famous “Sermon on the Mount” (starting in Matthew chapter 5), Jesus directs our attention away from our natural inclination to worry about our daily, personal needs (which God promises to meet) towards God’s desires for ourselves and the world around us. 

We often fail to respond to this call because we accept the myth that worries and self-interest will benefit us. This is a lie. In fact, it’s only when we entrust our own “kingdom” to God and focus on his kingdom that our life is transformed into what we always hoped it could. In Romans, the Apostle Paul sums up the difference between these two kingdoms: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink [our daily concerns], but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17).

The path to experiencing this Kingdom is to recognise that we are easily occupied with our own kingdom. While it’s not uncommon for a Christian to declare, “I love God with all my heart”, it’s quite common to find their daily and weekly priorities full of activities that exclusively build their own kingdom. As Jesus makes it clear, focusing on our own kingdom brings about anxiety about…our own kingdoms!

To counter this outcome, we could pay more attention to how we spend our days and weeks. Are there glimpses of us pursuing God’s desires for our own life (again, read from Matthew chapter 5 to see Jesus’ examples of what this looks like)? Does your schedule foster “a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”? 

Please take a few moments now to write down two separate lists. Focus the first list on ideas that would help you prioritise God’s kingdom over yours. In your second list, focus on regular activities that you could potentially eliminate from your week in order to focus on the activities in your first list. Ask God for wisdom to know how to embrace your new schedule that seeks to put God first in how you spend your time and energy.