Why do I feel like I am not seeking the kingdom of god first?

[Keny]

Recently I have went through and still is going through emotional stress and anxiety problems. I feel like I am just too focused on my problems. So I read Matthew 6:24-33 and a verse caught my eye. It was verse 33 "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added on to you". After reading this verse I wondered, am I seeking the kingdom of God first? Then why am I experiencing these anxietys! So now I don't know wether to focus on solving my anxietys or seek first the kingdom of God or both? Any advice?

 

 

 

[Debp]

Keny, it's best to get your eyes on the Lord first.   It sounds like you are reading the Bible and praying.   I hope you have a loving, supportive church home.

Now hopefully, your anxiety will lessen as you walk with Jesus daily.   However, we are all still human and sometimes might get such problems as anxiety.   So do pray about that...don't worry, it happens to Christians sometimes.   If the anxiety is too severe, perhaps you might want to talk with a Christian counselor or even your pastor?   Sometimes talking things out helps.

[Marilyn C]

7 hours ago, Keny said:

Recently I have went through and still is going through emotional stress and anxiety problems. I feel like I am just too focused on my problems. So I read Matthew 6:24-33 and a verse caught my eye. It was verse 33 "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added on to you". After reading this verse I wondered, am I seeking the kingdom of God first? Then why am I experiencing these anxietys! So now I don't know wether to focus on solving my anxietys or seek first the kingdom of God or both? Any advice?

 

 

 

Hi Keny,

That is direction for the people of Israel. Jesus while on earth was telling them to seek the kingdom, God`s rule, and His righteousness. This was all BEFORE the Lord died and rose again. A different time than what we are in.

For us as believers in the Body of Christ we have the privilege of, `...looking unto Jesus, the author & finisher of our faith..` (Heb. 12: 2) When we become Christians then we have the Lord`s righteousness, and also His rule in our hearts.

Now `looking unto Jesus,` means that we learn to trust Him in our daily lives, and that is over time. As the Holy Spirit highlights something in your life, then address that - wrong thinking, wrong behaviour, needing to get something right with someone, etc etc.

I think you anxiety comes from not knowing God`s character clearly or His purposes for us. I would say, settle down and let the Holy Spirit highlight one thing to you, then address that, and then go about your day until you sense another thing to address. Don`t focus on yourself all the time but only as the Holy Spirit highlights that one thing to address.

The Lord is our guide and teacher. He gives us `lessons` as we look at His creation, and ponder on His goodness, faithfulness, kindness, mercy and grace, etc. These thoughts enlarge our hearts to receive what God is saying to us. His goal is for us to mature. Sometimes we make mistakes, however we learn from those and keep thanking the Lord that He is changing us.

Marilyn.

[BeauJangles]

10 hours ago, Keny said:

Recently I have went through and still is going through emotional stress and anxiety problems. I feel like I am just too focused on my problems. So I read Matthew 6:24-33 and a verse caught my eye. It was verse 33 "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added on to you". After reading this verse I wondered, am I seeking the kingdom of God first? Then why am I experiencing these anxietys! So now I don't know wether to focus on solving my anxietys or seek first the kingdom of God or both? Any advice?

Yeah, I hear you, Keny. This world is now laden with anxiety, and this verse explains a lot. 

Luke 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  KJV

And so for today, here's one that really speaks to me personally. I trust it will to you as well. 

Isaiah 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose hearts are stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  KJV 

So, here's the key. As long as you keep you mind on Jesus, you will remain in peace, and perfect peace at that. Begin to stray, and peace goes out the window.  God bless you, bro. Keep on seeking Him first. 

[Justin Adams]

14 hours ago, Keny said:

Recently I have went through and still is going through emotional stress and anxiety problems. I feel like I am just too focused on my problems. So I read Matthew 6:24-33 and a verse caught my eye. It was verse 33 "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added on to you". After reading this verse I wondered, am I seeking the kingdom of God first? Then why am I experiencing these anxietys! So now I don't know wether to focus on solving my anxietys or seek first the kingdom of God or both? Any advice?

 

 

 

A very good question that; and it has happened/will happen to all of us in time.

How we think about the Lord God might lend a clue to 'getting over it' or getting it in perspective.

We have a Loving God that cares deeply for us. He is not the author of anything but Love and Comfort. He knows what it is like to be one of us and yet He too had tremendous agony of mind in the Garden of Gethsemane. So bad that He sweat blood.

If you ever had a bad day at the dentist like I have, then no amount of well meaning kindness will permeate the pain and anguish that one feels at times. Sometimes folk would tell me that it builds character. I have prayed more than once and requested that I do not NEED any more character. Thanks but no thanks.

So to be in this state of anguish is a real trial. It make make us say dumb things and dumb promises to God: "If you only get me out of this, I will do anything and everything..."  In this we forget who God is; naturally, since we have the cause-effect idea firmly planted in our minds. It goes like this: "Oh, I must be doing or not doing something that has made God mad at me". The implication we bought into is that, a) God brought this upon me, and b) we just gotta find the magic phrase/prayer that will relieve us of whatever it is. This is circular reasoning and wrong. Yet we do it all the time.

God is good and does not give us anxiety attacks. We, on the other hand, often fail and as a result get anxious. Emotional stress can lead to 'stinkin-thinkin'. This is because erroneous data begets erroneous activity. The Lord God wishes us goodness all the time and sometimes we loose our peace thru circumstances.

If it WERE God causing us to feel 'out of sorts' He would give us ample warning and ample insight in how to remedy the situation.
Not so the devil and his nasty little followers. They love guilt-trips and like to tie folk in knots making them believe God is punishing them.

The shrinks know all about this so offer shallow panaceas and try to get us into their world of psyche-error. They do not give us clear guidance from a spiritual perspective so we come away feeling worse. Stay away form shrinks and the way they think.

I hopes this helps you to see a correct perspective. God cares about you and does not do this. By all means seek the Kingdom of God, but do not think of that as a merit-based thing. God Loves you anyway. So relax, drink tea and pray. Focus on how you might help someone else feeling in a similar way. By all means seek counsel, but be careful and choose wisely.

Edited July 28, 2019 by Justin Adams

[johnthebaptist]

17 hours ago, Keny said:

Recently I have went through and still is going through emotional stress and anxiety problems. I feel like I am just too focused on my problems. So I read Matthew 6:24-33 and a verse caught my eye. It was verse 33 "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added on to you". After reading this verse I wondered, am I seeking the kingdom of God first? Then why am I experiencing these anxietys! So now I don't know wether to focus on solving my anxietys or seek first the kingdom of God or both? Any advice?

 

 

 

I think the "seek the kingdom of heaven first" means that it is more important to do that than it is to seek great wealth, fame, and things like that. If you have problems, deal with them, but do so with the counsel of the Lord, because he can solve all your problems for you.

[Who me]

On 28 July 2019 at 12:39 AM, Keny said:

Recently I have went through and still is going through emotional stress and anxiety problems. I feel like I am just too focused on my problems. So I read Matthew 6:24-33 and a verse caught my eye. It was verse 33 "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added on to you". After reading this verse I wondered, am I seeking the kingdom of God first? Then why am I experiencing these anxietys! So now I don't know wether to focus on solving my anxietys or seek first the kingdom of God or both? Any advice?

 

Christianity is not a 'magic' cure all for our problems.

Seek help for your emotional and anxiety problems from your doctor.

Having faith in Jesus may well provide you with a stable base on which to build your emotions, but if they are out of control or unstable you need to get them into control, which is where your doctor comes in.

Medicine is part of Gods provission for us, just as much as air and water.

Get help from your doctor, talk to your minister and continue to serve God.

[Keny]

Thank you to all of you brothers and sisters! I must say that anxiety, fear and worry is what we all experience from time to time. After all of the advices I got, I was overwhelmed and didn't know where to start. So I made the choice to start with God and it has been so much help. I saw great improvement in one day I spent with God. I felt at peace and rest. There is a lesson I learned from all of this. It is if you ever find yourself in this kind of situation where you are worried and anxious your first priority should be God. Of course we can seek help of other Christian's, but the way I see it. The Christian community or whoever we look up to for help is there only to pray and encourage you. Ultimately it's between you and God. So when we seek God first we are not being selfish and self centered. We are not focusing on our problems but focusing on Gods righteousness. With the same love that Jesus showed us, we are showing to others. When we live for God and others suddenly our problems disappear. We live in a selfish culture. But we as Christian's must not be confirmed into this world!

Your brother in Christ

Keny

Edited July 29, 2019 by Keny

[BeauJangles]

Nicely stated, @Keny. Okay, now I gives ya a big ol' squishy bro-hug! 

[Keny]

4 hours ago, BeauJangles said:

Nicely stated, @Keny. Okay, now I gives ya a big ol' squishy bro-hug! 

Yeah bro! That would be awesome