A Divided Heart

What are you focused on today? In our culture people are told that the pursuit of happiness is the constant striving for more. What is it they say? The one that dies with the most toys wins? Don’t get me wrong, I like nice things and you all know I drive a Corvette. I like power and the loud rev of the motor. I don’t drive it to impress anyone, it’s just something I enjoy and have been blessed with, but my identity, joy, and peace is not attached to that in any way.

When we begin to put too much value in our material possessions they begin to control our hearts and ultimately become idols. It’s as simple as spending a day online searching for that perfect car, jewelry or even clothes, then realizing as you lay your head on the pillow, that this thing has occupied all of your time and attention and there was nothing left for God. I can relate to this, I have a bit of an obsessive personality. If there’s something I need or I’m interested in, I’ll research it to death and price shop until I’m sure I've got the best deal. That in itself isn’t a bad thing, but it is if it takes the place of my time with God. If I research until I’m exhausted, then the Lord gets second place and I no longer have time for Him... do you see what I’m saying? These simple actions can be ploys of the enemy to destroy our relationship with Jesus. It doesn’t take long to turn our affection from Him to those shiny things that are calling out to us. It’s weird, but there’s a strange temporary satisfaction that comes from seeking things that have no spiritual bearing on our lives. Yet, if we’ll resist the temptation to waste time in meaningless activities and selfish goals, we can spend it doing something that will give rest to our souls, bring purpose to our lives, and give us peace and joy that can’t be quenched by earthly circumstances. You see... seeking Jesus and studying the Words He ordained to bring us a full and meaningful life is what our souls hunger for...yet... the flesh cries out for junk food that destroys our growth and brings spiritual decay.

Turn off the television for a while, stop thinking about everything you need to do, your desires, and even your needs and do the one thing that will make everything else seem irrelevant and unnecessary. Don’t let your heart be divided, give Him all of it. The more you begin to seek Him, the more your desires will change. You’ll soon find that nothing in this world can satisfy like Jesus! It won’t only change your life, but it will eventually flow out and touch the world around you.

Matthew 6:24 (TPT) “How could you worship two gods at the same time? You will have to hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t worship the true God while enslaved to the god of money!”

Matthew 1:6-8 (NLT) But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

James 4:4 (TPT) You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don’t you know that flirting with the world’s values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy!