Addictions. What are they? They are anything that takes a higher priority in your life than everything else. Whether it is your job, clothes, music, video games, sport, or whatever, something will be your first priority. All these things are fine in their own spheres; but when we start to prioritize them above all else we need to look out. Another name we could call addictions is idols.
“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” ~1 Corinthians
It is perfectly alright when you want to be the best at your job or you want to look your best. However, if that thing becomes the number one thing ruling your actions and life, watch out! As Christians, set apart for God, we need to have one focus: God.
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!” ~Psalm 119:10 (ESV Translation)
Seeking God with your whole heart does not leave room for much else. In fact it leaves no room. Doing something with your “whole” heart means that you have one priority, one goal, one purpose. You have one addiction. The only way to be truly addicted to something is to have your whole heart thrown in it. The whole being of a Christian should be wrapped up in seeking God and his commandments.
Addictions take a lot of our time and effort. Seeking God is not different here. It is guaranteed that blood, sweat, and tears will be a part of this process. Another guarantee is that it does take an abundance of time. If we can spend so much of our lives in our worldly addictions - if you are like me, it is much more of my life then I like to admit! - how could we not spend as much of our lives in the addiction that is to rule our lives as Christians?
We need to actively invest in seeking God. We need to truly act as if he was our only addiction. We are required to give God our all. That is what it means by whole heart. Just as we feed an addiction by continually doing it, we need to feed our one addiction by pursuing God and his commands.
Written for TSA.
7 comments:
wow...You don't know me(I came upon your blog through a link somewhere), but that post just really convicted and encouraged me. My youth group is going through "Experiencing God; The Youth Edition" by Henry Blackaby, and that is one of the things that has really convicted us all. We haven't done our study over the holidays though so this was very fresh and convicting to read. Thank you!It is really encouraging to see other young people that are so on fire and dedicated to God. ~TanyaBeth S
www.xanga.com/laborers2gether4Christ
Thanks for checking out my blog. It is always encouraging to me when someone says that they enjoyed something I wrote. How did you find me? I recognize the link to your blog but I can't remember where I've seen it at.
Great post! This was a good reminder for me to check my own heart.
Your Sis,
Naomi<><
I'm not sure...I think it was one of those "through a link, through a link, through a link." :-) It may have been through Life Savior...maybe not. I've wrote a couple comments on there--that may be where you saw my blog link. I also used to write for a magazine called Hidden Wisdom...if you read that you probably saw it sometime.
Great post!
I think a lot of us get discouraged when we realize how much more time we spend doing other things than we spend reading the Bible, praying, or studying. But let's be realistic, now; we can't spend our whole lives reading the Bible, or we'd all die! I think a lot depends on your attitude toward it.
Ask yourself why are you doing something? Are you doing it on a selfish whim? Or are you seeking the Christian lifestyle and are doing it because you feel that you should.
Thanks for the reminder.
Hey Caleb, I read this post on TSA, you did an awesome job, it really grabbed my attention but at the same time it turned my attention to the one who deserves it all.
thanks! your friend,
nana
Oh, and I wanted to tell you, that pic with you and Levi is really cute!
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