I learned a valuable lesson today.
It’s not enough for God to simply be “equal” with other parts of our lives, no matter how important God remains within that arrangement. While the intention is good and our hearts and minds can be in the right places, God always needs to be No. 1, as Christians, for us to receive our full blessings.
My spiritual growth has been rapid over the past several years and I’ve developed a significant difference in the priorities and motivations of my daily life. I’ve felt good about how far I have progressed and more convicted about what was missing when I was simply a “believer” and what is missing from too many of those claiming to be Christians today (a vast majority of Americans, according to various surveys).
Last night, I read the book “God’s Law of First Things” by Mike Hayes, senior pastor of Covenant Church in Carrollton, Texas. The book focuses on the act of tithing and the importance of giving God His portion first. Key word being – first. I’ve been faithful in my tithing for the past two-plus years, even during lean financial stretches.
Or so I thought.
When I examined myself and recent practices during “stressed” financial times, I realized that I was usually good about setting aside the “traditional” 10 percent for God, but it had slowly become an afterthought instead of the first thought. In fact, I had recently created a debt line item for “back tithes” owed because I needed all my money coming in for expenses, debts and other current issues. As Pastor Hayes’ words pointed out, those had ceased to become tithes and had become future offerings or “tip money” for God.
I was immediately convicted not only in my financial life, but other parts of my life under various forms of attack right now. When looking at them under the microscope of “putting God first,” I realized that God was there and with an equal ranking to other life concerns. However, He wasn’t first and that was the revelation I needed to understand. Financially, it was obvious. I have not been tithing any firstfruits in 2005 and thus, missing out on the blessings that could have covered my remaining resources and needs.
For years, I’ve been dedicated to quality quiet times and prayer each day but they had moved from first thing after I wake up to “after the paper, after catching up with the latest banter on Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket, after organizing my day, etc.” Again, I was missing out on my day being blessed through showing God He is first by simply turning to Him first.
The lesson was further amplified when I applied it with how a certain, extremely stressful situation was playing out in my personal life. In the midst of an ongoing six-month battle, new circumstances presented a confrontation that, quite honestly, frustrated me to a new level of disgust and bitterness toward my antagonist. The frustration and concern began to force me into old habits of taking charge of what I felt was unjust instead of relying on faith.
In Exodus 14:14, Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.” This was a situation where those words needed to be heard and practiced, but God had slipped out of the top position as I felt the need to fight for what I believed was a terrible wrong (at this stage) and a blatant attempt at distorting facts. “My way” of handling things caused unnecessary stress and worry while opening the door for misinterpretation of the truth God will ultimately bring to the surface in His timing.
As Abraham learned when he marched up the mountain with his son Isaac as a sacrifice, we can only see one side of the mountain and not always the blessing God has prepared on the other side when we let Him be the guide and in the lead position.
I still need to learn to trust the other side of the mountain.
(Formerly posted in 2005 on blog titled “LightHouse”)
