Why is it so hard for us to seek the Kingdom of God first?
Why is it so hard for us to break the things that were programmed into us as kids?
Why is it so hard for us to see the “big picture, when we make choices?

These are things that have been on my heart. My boyfriend was talking to me about his job and we got on the subject of how much his job means to him. I’ve always seen in him that his job and money are his number one priority. I have felt like I was the number one person in his life, but not the number one thing. His behavior shows it is his job and/or money that’s number one to him. He said the way he looks at work, is because of the way that he was raised. He was raised to “work hard or not eat“, “work hard to provide“, “work hard to make sure his wife and/or family have nice things“. That all sounds well and good, but it can be a form of idolatry.

When anything that is not of God or of His Kingdom comes first, then it’s idolatry. To some it’s their work, others it’s what people think of them, compliments/praise, how they look, what they wear, social status/success, how their kids/family look, the grades gotten at school, TV, videos, many things can become idolatry in our lives. Pity and selfishness is idolatry, because they can take over our lives and consume us, we are so focused on us, we are out of balance and it becomes idolatry.

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” Matthew 6:33 AMP

We don’t always see the big picture when we make choices. I asked my boyfriend about the way he was raised--to work many hours and be the provider, etc. I wondered where that came from, he said that his Dad worked many hours when he was a kid and he was taught that’s what men did. I asked him what kind of relationship his mom and dad had; what kind of relationship his dad had with each of his kids, his answer was that his dad didn’t have a relationship with any of them. The relationships were non-existent. That’s the big picture, if you take the work habits from your dad, you are going to get the relationship stuff too, it is all one big package, it goes together, somehow we get blind to that. We get the “disordered” side of the behavior too, it comes with it.

Parents do their best to mold and shape morals and values into their kids. I know my parents grew up during the depression and it was hard for my dad to throw away anything that was good. I have some of that behavior as well. However, there is a balance to everything and we can find that balance in our lives with God’s help.

“Be well balanced, (temperate, sober of mind,) be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring (in fierce hunger), seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith (against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined)...” I Peter 5:8-9.    AMP

If we have balance in our lives, it’s spiritual warfare which helps us to fight off and resist the devil at his onset.    It is so easy for us to get out of balance with things, even ministry and what we call “church work”. The devil would rather see us busy and out of balance, even with work at the church, attending groups, bible studies, prayer meetings, etc. than to spend quality time with the Lord.

This next week, I challenge you to look for the “big picture” behind your behaviors. What are you doing that brings undesirable things into your life, or leaves out the quality things that are desirable. What areas are out of balance?

Until next time, God bless you and stay balanced.