Ebb and Flow

I have a theory that, as believers, we go through an ebb and flow in our relationship with God. I also think this ebb and flow is specific to each person. Some of us are closer to God when everything seems right in the world, we are on top of everything, and nothing seems to be able to get us down. That is when we worship the loudest, pray the most, and find ourselves in the Word the most.

Then there are those of us who move closer when the going gets tough. When everything goes wrong, our car breaks down, our finances seem to be coming up short, the whole world becomes a scary place and sends us running back under the cover of our Father. We seek Him out to make sense of the world and our problems. We read the Word trying to find solutions and we pray constantly, asking for answers and help and giving thanks when we feel the need to remember that things aren't so bad.

While being closer to God is good, why don't we stay close all the time? When we are at our most thankful and also when we are at the bottom of the pit and need a hand? Why do we struggle to see God in the good? Or struggle to seek Him in the dark?

Priority check.

Cell phones, the internet, TV, Facebook, Twitter, work, relationships. There is so much going on in life right now. Our focus doesn't stay in one place for very long. We don't do the same task for very long, or make sure it has slight variations, with a few exceptions. We as a society like to be stimulated and often. I myself find this true. I get bored easily, but am luckily easy to entertain.

With all of the stimuli we have in our lives, it is so easy to become distracted. Lose focus on things that matter (or at least should matter) and focus on such mundane and trivial things. Family can take a back seat. Our faith can take a back seat. Where do we place importance? Is it on the small things we do that we won't remember in a week from now? Or is it on something that will make an impact years from now? I've been struggling to stay focused and remember what my priorities are and I took a minute on my lunch break today to look at some verses I had written down over time. Colossians 3:2 "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." Caught my attention. Time for a priority check, how about you?