It has been on my heart lately how easy it is to get caught up in the worldliness of our lives. We live in a consumer society where the idea that happiness can be bought has become a maxim for more than a few companies. When we are surrounded by all of the readily available material things of this world, our priorities can get a little wacky.
For example, when we are consumed in worldly pleasures, we tend to put our own selfish desires before those of others and of God. Most often the people we love can be pushed aside when we become consumed in our own 'stuff', interests, and social life. And more importantly, God is pushed aside too.
Our Lord desires that we die to our lives of worldliness and consume ourselves in glorifying His name and loving others the way Christ loved us. No, God doesn't tell us its easy to live the life of a Christian, but He does say it'll be worth it. And by making Jesus the very center of our lives, all of our priorities seem to fall into place - the right place.
When we decide to make Jesus our top priority and to die to our sins and selfish desires daily, unconditionally loving others reaches a higher spot on the list. So does forming and maintaining authentic friendships, caring for others' needs selflessly, and finding joy and peace in both the storms and calms of life.
When these Godly desires become our high priorities, the things we thought were just so important to posses begin to seem entirely unimportant. They pale severely in comparison with our growing relationship with our King.
God wants us to find pleasure in HIM, not in satisfying sinful desires or in having lots of stuff. It IS hard to tear away from worldly selfishness and run towards God, especially when we are constantly tempted by the so-called pleasures of this world.
But God tells us that the pleasure of living a Christ-like life is far more beautiful and satisfying than anything money could buy. Nothing else in life could bring us greater joy than claiming Christ as our center and our savior.
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever"
1 John 2:17
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