“ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NAS95)
When I trusted Jesus for forgiveness, my treasure was me. I wanted heaven, not hell. At least I turned in the right direction, but God had way more in store for me, to clarify the treasure that governs my life.
At one point, God clearly gave me John 17:3 as a life verse. That moment boggled my mind and made me remember that verse without memorizing it. I would like to say, I found my treasure, God, because of that verse. What I need to say as I look back is that the definition of eternal life simply provided true north to keep me on the right path.
I noticed much clutter in my heart that confused what I treasured. I knew I was supposed to treasure God, but did my life reflect that? Early on I noticed I liked feeling good, so feeling good was what I treasured. Later I noticed people complemented me for my understanding of the Bible. So, what I treasured turned out to be accolades from others — not God, or the Bible. Those simply provided the means to get my treasure. In other words, I used God for me.
God kept loving, leading, and chipping away at my heart. I noticed even choosing ministry as a vocation had more to do with me than with God. I wanted His approval, so again I was at the center of my heart.
Pain became a teacher — not the physical sort, but the emotional kind. God kept loving, but the journey included real confrontations with my heart, my love of self. I have too many stories to tell, but they involve problems in relationships, problems with leading others, problems with raising kids, problems with — you name it. God had a lot of rearranging of my soul to do. Yet He just kept loving me, clearing out the clutter of my heart, shaping the focus, bringing Himself into clear view.
My knowing God by these experiences turned into a real desire, a passion for God Himself. The verse He gave me in the second year of my walk with Him transformed from simply being true north to a deep internal motivation, a sincere passion to come alongside people, to introduce them to Jesus, to establish them in a relationship with Him, and to help them recognize how He interacts with them. I love to share my passion.
For Reflection:
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.” (Psalm 42:1 NAS95)
- What do you notice when you look through your motivations to discover what you treasure?
- What are ways God is shifting or rearranging what you treasure or what has a hold on your life?
