To the believer, their relationship between themselves and God is of utmost importance. After all, merely living life can become impossible without God’s presence and calming spirit. That is to say nothing of His ability to guide and protect His children. God blesses the lives of His children each and every day. Therefore, it is a wise Christian who puts God first in every situation of life. Read on to learn more practical advice for how to go about doing just that—putting God at His rightful spot in our lives:
What Does it Mean to Put God First?
Before delving deeper into the topic at hand it's important to consider what it even means. How do we put God first? Well, in simple terms by thinking about Him and what He would want us to do in any given situation in life in which we find ourselves. This could mean saying a quick prayer when we have to make a call at work, or asking how God would want us to handle a certain situation. It is putting God and His wants and desires for our lives ahead of our own. It means sometimes making choices that go against the grain of society and even our own preferences. It means considering Him in all things, each and every day, even when the world preaches quite the opposite.
Benefits of Putting God First
In the Bible, we learn that God blesses those who put Him first in their lives. This doesn’t mean that if you commit to putting God first your life will automatically be perfect. However, there will be a feeling of peace and comfort in your life that will amaze and confuse those who do not know Him as it passes all understanding.They might wonder how you can remain so upbeat in the face of conflict or how you can love someone who has wronged you, all of which are only possible when you put God first, not your own desires or selfish ambitions. The following are just a few examples in scripture that show how rewarding living a life committed to Christ can be:
Isaiah 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
How to Put God First in Your Life: Practical Application
Now that we have considered the many benefits of putting God first and what it means to make that stand, it’s helpful to learn some practical, actionable ways to apply this in daily life. The following are some good ideas to get you headed in the right direction:
Review Scripture
One way to keep God first in your life is to keep Him first in your mind. This means taking time to review His word—the Bible. The second an anxious thought pops into your head, consider a verse of scripture that will calm your spirit. The minute that you are worried over what is going to happen in the future, perhaps financial worries, consider the verses that tell us “not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6). You have likely heard it by now, but it truly bears repeating, scripture is God’s letter to us, it’s our roadmap to daily living. Don’t neglect the reading of His word or waste any time seeking out helpful verses when the confusion of the world begins to creep into your life.
Make Choices from God’s Guidance
Unfortunately for us believers today, we do not have the benefit of hearing audibly from God as did Moses or others in the Old Testament. However, we can still be guided by God through praying about situations, seeking scripture guidance or even the wisdom of other believers. In many cases, God will use various methods to communicate His message to us. This could include a sermon, a song, a note you get in the mail, etc. God can use anything and everything to guide us to Him.
Put God First in Prayer
As we just touched on briefly, prayer is the way to communicate with God and to garner His instruction for any given situation. Again, you won’t hear an audible voice, but you will likely feel God’s spirit moving you towards the right path. Don’t neglect your best tool for finding out what God wants you to do in your life through prayer. Even Jesus prayed before His crucifixion in the Garden of Gethsemane and many other times as well. Who are we to do less than He?
Listen to Christian Songs
Contemporary praise and worship songs or even traditional hymns have such great messages for us. The writers of those songs at some point went through exactly the same issue you are going through, so sometimes, these songs can be a sort of message in disguise, guiding us toward God.
Showcase Your Love of God in Your Clothing
Finally, the last way to put God first every day is in your clothing choice. For example, choosing to wear something from the Love in Faith’s clothing line is an excellent way to remind yourself throughout the day that you should be considering God’s will and putting Him first in every decision. It is also a great way to wordlessly share the message of hope with the world all around you as you go about your day.
Bottom Line: Put Him First, It’s What He Deserves
Put all the ideas listed above into action on a daily basis to truly put God first in your daily life!