Don't Lose Sight

This morning as I was reading Hebrews 5:11-12 I came to a startling conclusion about my walk in faith with Jesus Christ. Before I go into that, let’s look at the verse Hebrews 5:11-12 (NLT) states:

“1 1There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.[a] You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.”

Now, if that just hit you like it hit me, a couple of startling conclusions begin to surface. One, these verses tell me that knowing God and pursuing Him is not just for my own benefit. God has called me (and you) to pursue Him and grow in peace and understanding not just for our sake but so others can find peace too. Secondly, it became apparent to me that I have been pursuing other things with my time instead of Jesus Christ and therefore my spiritual growth and impact on the Kingdom has been hindered. Before we go any further, let me ask a question. Isn’t it amazing that the reason God put you here was to use you and your talents to draw people towards Him? Everyday, because of what God has given you, you are able to become part of God’s restorative plan to save the lost, heal the sick, and bring comfort to the hurting. However we often times lose sight of what an important job we’ve been given and succumb to worry, anxiety, and distraction. We become much like the ones God has called us to help.

To keep this brief, I will ask you a few questions.

#1. How are you spending your time? In other words, to you have an outward/eternal mindset or are you focused on the hear and now, self fulfilling mindset that our culture tells us is acceptable and natural? Are you attending Church solely for your own benefit, or are you viewing it as a training ground to hone in on your talents? Think for a moment about how long you’ve known Christ. Have you just “known” Him or have you spent your time pursuing Him passionately? How you spend your time will determine how beneficial you are to God, and how much peace and rest you experience in your life.

#2. What sin/distraction do you need to rid yourself of to get back on track with where God has called you to be? Sin is deceitful, destructive, and is a big distraction that causes people to pursue self instead of Christ. If Satan can keep you at bay by deceiving you and distracting you with sin, you will not reach the full impact God has called you too. There is a reason some of us have been Christ followers for years but still can’t recite the Lord’s prayer or have never served a hot meal to a homeless individual. We have become self absorbed and therefore have been deceived into thinking it is okay to call yourself a follower of Christ but predominately pursue yourself.

Today, pursue God and set a goal to know him more intimately. In doing this you will experience  a large sense of peace you can in turn take to others who so desperately need you.