Blessings & Battlefields: Let’s Seek Healing - 4 Habits to Grasp for Healingಮಾದರಿ

Day One

But First, SEEK

Have you ever had the opportunity to walk on the beach along the crashing waves? If so, I bet you were naturally looking down at the shells, searching and SEEKING for a treasured one to pick up and take with you. If you happened upon a half of a conch shell or a quarter of a sand dollar, did you drop it back down in the sand and continue to seek for a whole one? My guess is, yes you did.

Because we are made in God’s image, we instinctively long to be whole. We can find the way to our personal healing and shalom, peace and wholeness, by seeking our God.

God knows we all have challenges in our lives. In John 16:33 Jesus tells his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Have you ever heard: “If you aren’t moving forward, you are actually moving backwards, because staying in the same spot accomplishes nothing?” The idea of always moving forward can sound good, but in reality, it can be very hard to accomplish. For some people moving forward is a natural part of their personality, lives, and days. For others, moving in any direction can be beyond difficult and painful, like swimming in sludge.

Even if we don’t seem to be moving forward, our bodies and time naturally do. So, while we are breathing, maybe instead of putting the pressure of moving forward upon ourselves and others, we can simply SEEK. Let’s seek God. Let’s seek Jesus. Even Jesus searched. He went to be with God while he was here on earth.

According to Luke 5:16: “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

God has given us life, and we all experience both blessings and battlefields. In these challenges, Jesus encourages us that we can have peace in Him, and we can take heart. It seems that “taking heart” can be a way of moving forward. Taking heart can be SEEKING Him! We can simply SEEK.

When we are down, let’s seek the Lord. When we are hurting, let’s seek God. When things are going great, let’s seek the Lord. When we need any type of healing in our lives, let’s seek God. When we are celebrating anything, let’s seek the Lord.

In all things, seek God.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word SEEK as:

go to,

to go in search of,

to ask for: request.

(Just for the record, these are all actions of moving forward!)

How can we seek God? The answers to that question are unlimited and very personal. It will probably look different in our lives at different stages. Perhaps in one stage it can be simply praying while we are at work. In another stage it can be spending an hour in His word each morning. Singing, worshiping, smiling at a stranger, sharing the gospel, serving someone else, giving, laughing with your family, attending church, and on and on the list goes.

The Lord knows our hearts, so we just need to seek Him, however that may look for us today.

Seeking the Lord allows us to do our part in our relationship with God. It allows us to rejoice and be glad, not because of our circumstances. But because our heavenly Father loves us! According to Psalm 40:16, “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say, ‘The Lord is great!’”What a beautiful scene!

SEEK Him! According to Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Our hearts naturally cry out to Him because He is our Creator.

“My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’

Your face, Lord, I will seek,” Psalm 27:8.

Let’s pray:

Father God, You alone are worthy of our praise! You created us, created all things, and it was good. As we walk through our blessings and battlefields, remind us to ALWAYS SEEK You. For without You, we can do nothing. When our hearts, minds, and souls cry out, teach us to SEEK You.

In Your treasured name we pray,

Amen

A Question to Ponder:

What am I doing today to actively seek God?