The Lesser ThingsSample

The other day, I told my kids that it was time to homeschool. My middle child whined “I don’t want to start school! I want to play video games!” I was thinking about what a nonsensical statement it was for my child to want to play video games over going to school. Can you imagine if he just stopped going to school and spent his days playing video games? That would be ludicrous. To my second grader, it isn’t a ludicrous thought because in the moment, playing video games satisfies his quick desire. To me, however, I can see how silly of a request it is because I know how it impacts his future. It would be so foolish - of him for desiring that and for me for allowing it. And it was in this very quick but revealing moment that God whispered something into my heart. “How many times have you chosen the lesser things over me?” 

Ouch! God, I don’t need that kind of conviction first thing in the morning! But I knew that what He was saying was true. How many times have I allowed my flesh - my sinful nature - to win the battle? How many times have I allowed what I see, what I feel, what my flesh desires to overshadow the path that God was trying to take me on? In that moment, I felt the need to repent. Repent for the many times that I chose something or someone over God. Repent for the many times that I chose what my eyes saw as good over what God was telling me was for my good. Repent for the many times I whined when I didn’t get what I wanted in that moment. Repent for the many times I had chosen the lesser things.

This week we’re going to take a few days to read over a few Bible stories, and think about how they apply to us. Let’s consider what we might need to change - repent from- in order to live out the abundant life that God has for us and stop ourselves from choosing the lesser things.

Prayer: Dear God, I pray that You would open my heart to what You need to root out of my life - those things that I’ve been choosing over You. I know that what You have for me is so much greater than what I can achieve in my own doing. I pray that You would soften my heart so that I can hear from You this week. God, more than anything in this world, I choose You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Worship: Nothing Else by Cody Carnes