...the secret to joy is to keep seeking God where we doubt He is.
- Ann Voskamp
by Robert R. Pennington
For many, seeking God is too subjective a pursuit with little or no immediate or even measurable benefits. Yet our physical, mental and social life on Earth is life is full of subtleties, some of which are essential to health and well being. The same is true spiritually. Without our best effort, we risk much in this life and the next and may well miss the greatest blessings in time and eternity.
With so much, including our very salvation, depending on our level of commitment there's good reason for Scripture to place such a high value on not only starting but finishing well. When the going gets tough, our dedication is revealed for what it is. Yet as crucial as discipleship is, few concern themselves enough to even earnestly pray their faith pass the test.
Pursuing God
There may be as many opinions as to how and why to seek God as there are people. Many in the modern world find the prospect too daunting. Given the Creator's transcendence and majesty, as well as His apparent silence and distance, today billions find it simpler to "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die."
Yet in the end is it? As mortal beings, fearfully and wonderfully made, we desperately need answers to life's ultimate questions and to to know our Creator and Savior. Facing challenges and dangers in both time and eternity, as well as a terrible Adversary, what better use of our time and energy could there be?
Each of us decides whether it's worth the effort. Even deciding not to decide is a decision. Those seeking God then choose how much time and trouble to invest. Do we depend on others or get personally involved? If so, to what extent? What and how much am I willing to give to the pursuit? Am I willing to risk failure? How would I define success?
Aware of it or not we all answer these questions, albeit often by default. Many simply float along in streams of religious thought, buoyed by family and tradition. Others, for a myriad of reason, find various ways to venture out into less charted waters.
There's a story about a preschooler who amazed her parents. Wanting to keep there child occupied they found a fairly complicated map and tore in into many smaller pieces. They left their young daughter to do her best at reconstructing the large map, figuring they had bought themselves half an hour or more. They were surprised when their child had completed the project in just a few minutes. She beamed as she handed over the scotch taped paper with ever piece placed exactly right. When they asked her how she reassemble the puzzle so quickly she simply turned the paper over to reveal a large smiling face of one of her favorite cartoon characters in an advertisement on the back.
We may hope to do the same when seeking to understand God. While somewhat complex, the path to seeking to God is not complicated and considering all there is to loose or gain, beginning the journey and seeing it through is our only logical choice.
More information
In the Red Dropdown Icon you'll find resources that we hope will both stimulate and facilitate your pursuit of and understanding of the God of the Bible. To get started simply place your cursor on a category of interest and see where it leads. You can also join the discussion in a variety of ways including posting comments to God Blogs as well as making comments or asking questions by email or text.
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