He Rewards Those Who Seek Him

Sometimes you run out of stuff. You have needs for which you have no supply. You don’t know what to do. So, you pray but nothing happens. You can’t figure out what is wrong. So, you worry but nothing changes because of worry either. Maybe you just aren’t worrying hard enough.

It seems strange to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness at this point. Your first reaction is to claim that you have been good and God should favor you with all that He has. You promise Him that you will finally do that last thing if He will just come and meet your need. If it gets bad enough, you’ll even promise to tithe or witness to the guy that such a jerk at work.

The problem is that your focus isn’t on God’s kingdom or righteousness. The focus remains on the need. Thus, the need remains unfilled.

Matthew 6:33-34 (ESV)
33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34  “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

What’s the problem? Why can’t you focus on God’s kingdom and righteousness? It takes real faith to seek His kingdom and righteousness when there is a need. Too many times you believe that prayer will make God do something you need. That can become believing in the act of praying rather than God who answers prayer. Prayer by itself doesn’t change things. Prayer changes us. God changes things. Prayer that focuses on the need rather than His kingdom and righteousness is not a prayer of faith. It does not listen to God. It tells God what to do and when to do it.

No, faith believes what God says. It listens to hear what He says. It seeks after His kingdom and righteousness to get close to God. It accepts what He has said. It realizes the grace of God even when the need hasn’t been met. It finds His kingdom and righteousness.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

So, we are without and go to God. We listen for His word through seeking His kingdom and righteousness. We believe and act upon that word. We pray that word in faith to God. And He rewards us.

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.