Alan Drake's Blog - Posts Tagged "meaning-of-life"

Keeping First Things First

(Originally posted 5 years ago, but I still believe the message is valid.)

This year has a different theme for me than previous years. My emphasis in 2009 was on Focus - to make the best use of the time that was given to me. In 2010, my theme was on Choices, because where I will be in 5 years or 10 years - and the man that I will become - is being determined TODAY by the choices that I make.

This year, the emphasis in my life is on Priorities - Keeping First Things First. Years ago, I was on a bus trip from Dallas to Charlevoix, Michigan to play guitar. I had a lot of time to think on the trip, and at one point I took time to inventory all of the major areas of my life and arrange them in order of importance. This is what I came up with:

1. My relationship with God

2. My character / spiritual growth

3. My family

4. Other people - Christian leaders, governmental leaders, employers, friends & acquaintances

5. My health

6. My job / ministry / spare time activities

7. My finances / possessions

All of these areas have importance, but I believe the areas at the top of the list are more important than those underneath them. I believe I can justify the placement of each priority with Scripture, For one example, when Moses chose to listen to his wife instead of obeying God’s covenant, God came to kill him in Exodus 4. To me, that seems to be a strong hint that we should put our relationships with God over our relationships with family, even if it causes some conflicts with family members. There are other verses which state it even more plainly.

The Hidden Cost of Accepting Shortcuts

Years after I put that list together, I’ve struggled to keep the first things first. It seems that I have often chosen something less important, to the neglect of what I firmly believe are more important priorities - and it happens so easily. Why is that, and how can I correct it?

Looking at my own life - and I think it’s true for all of us - I believe it is because we are driven to satisfy our needs, and we mistakenly fall into the trap of thinking that our needs can be satisfied by something cheap and quick, and so we choose that shortcut, and reject the higher values, which are best for us, and would provide deep long-term fulfillment and satisfaction but are not as easy and quick.

It’s the old story of Satan’s temptations. Satan’s temptations have common characteristics. He tempts us with things that promise only short-term pleasure and satisfaction, but like a sugar rush after eating sweets, the high doesn’t last, and the crash on the other side of it leaves us feeling worse than before, contributes to long-term health problems, and at the same time plants in us a craving for more of the same. As Bill Gothard says, “The wages of sin is more sin”. But it sure felt good at the time, didn’t it? Sometimes, these poor choices carry long-term consequences, and we will pay for them eternally.

How was Jesus able to counteract Satan’s temptations, when Adam and Eve fell so easily? If I can find the answer to that, I believe I will understand how to keep First Things First in my life.

Satan, who hates us, tempts us to reward ourselves now, and pay dearly for it later, and the price is never worth the pleasure. God lovingly urges us to do the opposite and pay the price now for rich, eternal rewards later, and as Paul said, “[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us! - Romans 8:18 (Amplified Bible) I think my problem is that I don’t always believe that. If I really, really believed that, I would have a much better track record of choosing what is best.

What is keeping me from having the relationship with God that I want to have? Why do I make compromises that erode my character and integrity and keep me from being the kind of man that I would most admire? Why do I sometimes give more of myself and my loyalty to passing acquaintances than I do to my family? Why do I choose junk food over healthy food?

Do I Really Believe What God Has Promised?

I think it is because I haven’t really believed that the higher priority is best. I think it is because I haven’t really, really believed God’s promise in Philippians 4:19. “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Amplified Bible) If I really, really believe that God will supply all of my needs so that I am completely satisfied, why would I ever choose something less? Why would I choose a cheap, quick shortcut that ends up just being an empty promise?

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6 (New International Version)

How was Jesus able to turn down Satan’s temptation for bread after having fasted for 40 days? How was Jesus able to reject Satan’s temptation to establish His identity as Son of God, once and for all, with an irrefutable demonstration of power and authority, and instead choose to endure all of the doubts, questions and persecutions that would follow? How was Jesus able to refuse Satan’s temptation to easily gain all the kingdoms of the world and choose the cross instead?

The Key

The writer of Hebrews gives us the answer:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary (I)and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;” - Hebrews 12:1-4 (New American Standard Bible)

All of these questions I’ve had are answered in this passage. The writer of Hebrews gives us the key here to keeping first things first.

Jesus was able to always choose what was best over short-term relief & pleasure because (1) He firmly believed in His heart what His Father had promised Him, and (2) His focus was unshakable, firmly set on what Father God had promised Him. His eyes were fixed on the prize, and He never wavered from that focus.

Your Destiny as a World Changer

In this new year, God has great things for us! In fact, if you believe that God’s purpose for you will have any less impact than changing the entire world for the better, your vision is too small. Think bigger. Take time to visualize a world-changing purpose that will impact future generations. When you can see that, you still won’t have a good picture of all that God has planned for you... but it’s a start.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,” - Ephesians 3:20 (New American Standard Bible)

“...ye have not, because ye ask not.” - James 4:2b (King James Version), or, as it was recently restated to me, “You don’t have much, because you don’t ask for much.” This caught me completely by surprise because I thought I DID have a lot, and I thought I WAS asking for a lot... shows how much I know! I’ve since determined to ask wildly for EVERYTHING! … and whatever is BEYOND everything! I’m asking for that, too!

So this year, my theme is to keep my eyes firmly fixed on what is best - the ultimate, long-term, lasting rewards - the real prize, firmly believing that true fulfillment and satisfaction is found in keeping first things first and not giving in to short-term substitutes.

1. Relationship with God: There are innumerable benefits in putting my relationship with God above everything else in life. Everything in my life stems from this.

2. Character: Building and maintaining strong character, refusing to compromise my integrity, pays off in so many ways, and is the key to being, not just called, but chosen for God’s purposes, as Peter declares in 2 Peter 1:10.

3. Family: Building and protecting strong family relationships, refusing to betray those loyalties, will pay off not only for us, but for those who observe our family relationships, and will be the basis for much of my life message.

4. Authorities, Friends & Acquaintances: Building and maintaining proper relationships with authorities and reaching out to meet the needs of those who cross my path will help me to fulfill the commands of Christ and will lead to deep fulfillment and satisfaction as I fulfill the purpose for which I was created.

5. Health: Choosing what is best for my health will provide me with the energy and ability to fulfill my purpose to my full potential. (Ecclesiastes 10:17)

6. Job, Ministry & Other Activities: Choosing to give my time to activities that help fulfill my life’s purpose, instead of just having momentary fun, will pay off in eternal rewards.

7. Finances & Possessions: Wisely stewarding my finances and possessions will enable me to fulfill my life’s purpose as well as providing the means for others to fulfill theirs, exchanging temporary wealth & possessions for eternal rewards.