What should I do with my life? What things should I pursue? What should I be? These are questions that start at a young age and continue even into our years of retirement.
People pursue and obtain jobs, careers and lifestyles of various kinds. Some become lawyers, doctors, technicians, musicians, or religious leaders. Some want families, wealth, property or titles of achievements. Others pursue different experiences like traveling, teaching, even wandering and exploring to obtain a sense of freedom.
In every variety of career or lifestyle option there is someone who seems fulfilled, happy and content, and another who is unfulfilled, sad and discontent. There is not one tangible thing we can pursue in life that is guaranteed to be fulfilling.
Perhaps we should inquire deeper within ourselves of what it is that we actually seek. Is it the wealth that we want, or the perceived fulfillment and sense of security? Is it a family that we want, or the perceived connection and joy that we hope to obtain from it? Is it becoming a religious leader or teacher that we desire or the perceived inner freedom, and the gratitude of others, that we hope to experience?
Most of us invest much of our lives pursuing something. Some are happy, or at least content. Yet often we see unfulfilled, even regretful people, in a life that they invested in.
Wealthy people have confessed their dissatisfaction and wished for a chance to choose differently. Famous musicians and actors have become so unhappy that they took their lives. Even religious leaders and preachers have had these same dreadful outcomes.
There is not one pursuit in life that can guarantee fulfillment. Maybe this is because it matters less about the external and tangible things that we pursue and more about the intangible needs that we are actually pursuing.
Perhaps we believe that our intangible needs; like the needs for love, connection, security, importance or peace, lie within the tangible things we pursue. We believe wealth means safe, respected or loved. That being a religious or holy leader means respected, appreciated or loved. But when the tangible things we pursued don’t deliver the intangible things we desired we are left distraught and confused.
As we seek and pursue things in our lives, and as we teach our children to do the same, it may benefit us all to recognize the intangible things that we are actually seeking for, within the tangible. If we can change the focus of what we are pursuing, from the seen to the unseen, we may begin to see a higher success rate of people experiencing lives worth living.
It has been written, “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness, and then all these (other tangible needs) things taken together will be given you besides. - Matthew 6:33
The Kingdom of God, and of Heaven, is Love. It is peace, kindness, goodness and so much more. It is all of the things, the inner needs and desires, that we are actually seeking for and pursuing. It is the unseen, yet highly desired, internal treasures that we hope to experience and obtain.
Perhaps we are actually seeking for The Kingdom of Heaven within the tangible things of this earth. I believe that we are. And the good news is, you can find it. The Kingdom of God, even God himself, can be found. Yes even in the created tangible things of this earth. Facets of God and His Kingdom are everywhere. All creation declares who God is.
We must only realize that we are actually seeking for, desiring, and in need of the things of God’s Kingdom. It’s when we lose focus of what we have been, and are, pursuing that we don’t find it. It was never just the wealth, career, titles or achievements that you desired. It was always something deeper within those things.
We will all seek after and pursue something. You may seek and pursue wealth, titles, careers, family, traveling, etc. But look deeper. You are looking for facets of God, and heaven. Searching for facets and expressions of His love, His peace and of His Kingdom. Recognize these inner, invisible, needs and seek after the intangible.
Like gold in a mountain. It’s not the mountain that you desire to own, it’s the unseen gold buried within it. Too many of us pursue owning the mountain forgetting, or never knowing, that it’s the gold within the mountain that made the pursuit worthwhile. It was the unseen and hidden treasure within the mountain that made the mountain such a valuable and desirous thing.
We will pursue tangible things as long as we exist on this tangible earth. But seek first, prioritize above everything else, your search for the fulfilling, intangible, facets of God. Seek for the messages of love, peace, meaning and safety that God wants you to find. The true, invisible treasures, that God has hidden within the visible, tangible things of this earth.
It is promised, "seek and you will find". Whatever you seek for you will find. Seek for the unseen and intangible things. And when you find and meet your inner needs, with the intangible messages and treasures of God’s kingdom, then you’ll find that all your other needs are met as well.
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