What Are You Looking For

I read a tweet the other day that said this, "If you're looking for hope, if you're looking for life, if you're looking for love, if you're looking for joy then really, you might not know it... but you're looking for God."

Wow. How powerful. How true. I can say that this is a serious testament to how I used to feel.

I've been in that place where I've been looking for hope, purpose, love, and joy and I was trying to find those feelings through the world, and through the opinion of people in the world. As I write this I just wonder why I used to have such perfect expectations for an imperfect world.

God doesn't call us to live a perfect life, He calls us to live an abiding life.

John15:4

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me".

To abide means to remain. To continue without fading or being lost. It is said right there in John 15:4 that we cannot bear the fruit of God, the goodness of God unless we remain in Him. Remaining in Him requires us to live for Him. Why do we expect to receive all of God's goodness if we are too invested in the world that we forget to live for the one who created us? Living for the world and for temporary things will give us nothing; living for God will give us everything.

We can find ourselves looking for certain people to bring us these feelings of hope, love, and purpose but there is a reason that we will always come up short. People are not God. For a while, I never felt myself all in and fully accepting that I am enough no matter what people say or think because I am who God says I am. The world’s image is flawed, God's image is perfect.

Abiding in the world seems like it is easier. It is self-serving and oftentimes it looks like it can bring us all that we could ever want. Why do we always want more then? Abiding in the world is not fulfilling. Abiding in the world is full of wanting more. It is not lasting, instead it is full of greed and temporary moments. Abiding in God though, just like John 15:4 says, will allow you to bear all of the goodness that God has for your life. Why pass that up?

John 14:16 says,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life."

The world is not the way. People around you are not the way. Jesus says it right here in the gospel of John, that He is the way. God is all we need.

God is love. He is hope. He is the light in the darkness. He is life, joy, and so much more. Yet there is so much hesitation to follow His perfection. If you are seeking something greater to cling to, I'm here to tell you that what you're looking for is God.

Give up your Kingdom for His Kingdom

Praying that you feel these words and let them be spoken into your life. Be confident in God's truth.

Be kind to others and yourself:)

XO

M