Jeremiah 29:12 -23 (ESV) 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Speaking from personal experience, people-pleasing is one of the most dangerous and overlooked sins one can struggle with. I love going on walks in between work meetings and ministry work. It breaks up my morning and allows time for me to recenter myself on God. To LITERALLY walk with Him as I commune with Him.
Not more than 3 weeks ago, while out on a walk with our family dog Juniper, a woman turned onto our street with her own dog, just a few blocks up. I am admittedly competitive…and in need of extra exercise to work on shedding a few pounds. So, I set my target to pass this woman and her dog.
I picked my pace up and headed forward. After a few blocks I noticed I had made up NO ground. So, then I sped up even more! At the pace of a power walker now! Imagine a middle age dude with a bad back trying to hobble at that pace with a corgi…yeah, you’re allowed to laugh! Then it hit me…she was actually pulling away from me! Just about ready to start speeding up more, she starts jogging! So, I suck it up and I start jogging.
This back-and-forth exchange of me trying to match or surpass her, all in a hope to catch up and pass her, very quickly became futile. Eventually she got up to a full run and pulled far ahead of me, forcing me to retire from this chase. After catching my breath, it dawned on me…I had completed my loop and then some. I looked at my watch and saw the meeting I was supposed to be in would’ve already started. To make matters worse, God hammered me with conviction. I spent all that time chasing after some lady and her dog to try to pass them in hopes of burning a few extra calories…that I completely neglected my time with God.
So, now I was late back to work…missed time with God …and was sweaty and looking like a fool. This outcome is EXACTLY what happens when we pursue man instead of God. When we focus so fully on either our own pleasure and gains, or even theirs. When we worry and put such a huge emphasis on either seeking their acknowledgement, or even doing whatever we can to avoid their displeasure, that we completely forget who we are to seek after.
If we look at the Scripture from Jeremiah, it is critical to preface that THIS VERSE IS NOT ABOUT YOU! This is about the Prophet Jeremiah and the Ancient Israelites. However, we can glean such a sobering lesson from them! In this scripture we see Jeremiah relaying yet another commanding reminder to the Jewish people to seek GOD first, and to do it with everything they have. To literally throw themselves at seeking HIM and HIS pleasure.
I have such regret for not spending that 15 minutes with God on my walk. It causes me to wonder what experience or conversation I could’ve had with Him. I will now never know…and I regret that. So, I challenge you today to think on who it is you are seeking. Is there someone in your life you wish so badly for their nod and smile…or rather you wish to avoid a frown or disapproving look from? Center yourself on God alone…may we all strive to put the same energy into seeking others instead into seeking Him!
What a glorious transformation it would be if His Church would pour themselves out to seeking Him over man daily. To spending that time praying to Him. To putting the same energy into enjoying Him as we do to man or the things of man.
May we be a people that turns our chase towards chasing after God…
SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!
