Balance
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matt 6:33).
Packing for a trip is often a challenge, but I find it even harder these days. Airlines have restrictions on the number and weight of luggage you can bring with you, and will charge you extra if you don't follow their rules. When I was flying from Bangalore to Delhi, I could divide the weight allowed between two bags. One ended up full while the other was almost empty. As I fixated on it while trying to get to sleep, I realized that I needed to shift things around to balance the weight. God then showed me that it is the same with our lives - to keep things in balance, we occasionally need to examine and shift around our priorities.
The verse from Matthew reminds us of our primary priority - the Kingdom of God. In our busy lives filled with competing obligations and distractions, it is too easy to lose sight of this. So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever (2 Cor 4:18). Paul reminds the church in Corinth of this truth, and encourages them to focus on their higher calling in Jesus.
When the world is pressing in around us it is challenging to remember to keep Jesus as our priority. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions (Ps 119:109). Being in constant communication with fellow Christians who can hold us accountable can help us re-focus when us focus starts to shift away from Christ. The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense (Prov 27:9). However, we need to be sure that we have friends who are ready to challenge us, even if it might be hard to hear. Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy (Prov 27:6).
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3). In writing to the church in Colossus, Paul encourages them in the same manner as he wrote to the Corinthians. His words are just as relevant today.
Where are your sights set?
