Ernest Smith

This week, I have asked Jonny Sharp to give some thoughts on what God has been showing him lately.  Jonny works alongside of me in our Family Ministry at Seacoast Church and I am so honored to call him friend.  He is one of those guys that works tirelessly to make sure others around him look better and are better.  He is a true friend and I am thankful for God allowing me to be in his life. One small piece of information on Jonny…He just got engaged to a woman who is way out of his league, Janna.  I’m extremely excited for the two of them.

Hope you enjoy!

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” That’s what Jesus told us to do in Matthew 6:33.

So what if that’s what I’m doing and it’s not working out like I planned? What if I’m seeking the Kingdom and things  aren’t being added like they’re supposed to be? I don’t know about you, but I have days where I wonder what is going on and why this whole Kingdom thing isn’t happening the way I think it should be.

You know the kinds of days I’m talking about. You’re worn out, run down, beat up and empty. You’ve poured yourself out over and over again, pursuing the call and praying that something good is going to come of it. You’ve given just about every ounce of energy and willpower that you’ve got, and at your wits end you’re praying that God comes through and makes something of the effort.

I know the feeling. I find myself some days wondering what the heck I’ve been doing for the last few weeks and whether or not it’s made any Kingdom impact at all. I find myself facing situations, seemingly impossible ones, wondering how I’m going to tackle the obstacles and whether or not God’s going to come through and do something awesome and use me for His glory.

People leave the ministry, sometimes bitterly. Hearts are broken, relationships damaged, numbers drop, things seem like they’re falling apart. And I try so hard, with everything I’ve got, to figure out how to fix things, how to make it better, how to do better for the Lord. But what if…what if I’ve got it all wrong?

What if in pursuit of the Kingdom, I’ve lost sight of the King? What if I’ve overlooked the most important part of the Kingdom? Have I forgotten the nature of the one I live for? Have you?

The one Scripture that has consistently messed me up for a full year is Jeremiah 9:13- “but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth…” God desires that we understand and know Him, with all of his love and awe-inspiring attributes.

I think in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I often forget that God’s desire, the desire of the King of the Universe, is to be known, to be close to me in an intimate friendship. Jesus said in John 15:15 that he now calls us “friends.” Wow. Let that blow your mind.

I think I need to remind myself in the middle of everything going on, while I’m working hard for the Kingdom, the ruler of the Kingdom would prefer if I focus more on being with Him than what I’m doing for Him or seeking from Him. What if I sought the ruler of the Kingdom rather than the results of the Kingdom? What if we all did?

Maybe this resonates with where you’re at. I want to encourage and challenge you to pull back from the “doing” for Jesus every once in a while and analyze how you’re “being” with Jesus. How would you rate your level of intimacy with Jesus from 1-10? I’m nowhere near perfect, but by God’s grace I’m getting to know Him more, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.