You have something that takes priority in your life. We all do. It changes our schedules, captures our passions and causes sacrifices. We defend it. We fight for it. We claim it. What comes first in your life?  For the Christian, God should come first. He should capture our passions. His worship should change our schedules. His work should cause us to sacrifice. We should defend Him and proclaim Him! 

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:33

Instead of seeking first the things of this world, through our own effort, we are urged to seek Him first—to develop a right perspective, and to exchange natural thinking for Godly thinking. So as we trust Him to fulfil His promise to provide for our needs, remembering that He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, let us take the words of Jesus [here in the gospel of Matthew] to heart to seek HIM first, and make HIM our main focus, today and every day.

Here are 5 ways to help you put God first:

Start Each Day in the Word

Spending time in the Word each morning can help you to set your intentions for the day and align your plans with God’s. With a busy schedule, your mornings may feel chaotic as you hop onto zoom calls. However, starting your day by spending time with the Lord, whether it is just for five minutes or an hour, can fuel you for the day. If you struggle to take this time in the morning, consider using the YouVersion App Bible Story. 

Work on building an intimate relationship with God.

How are you supposed to keep God as your first priority if you don’t even know who He is? Make it your goal to have a deep, intimate relationship with God and to let Him into every area of your life. If you constantly look to other people for answers and validation, you will find that you feel empty. When we ask God instead, and look to Him for guidance, we are rejuvenated. As we live to please God, He promises to bless our lives and make us prosper.

Pray daily.

The Bible makes it clear that prayer is essential. Begin each day with a prayer to God, thanking Him for another day and asking for guidance to cope with the ups and downs that are sure to come. Starting the day with Christ is the best way to set your day in motion, because He will be first on your mind. In Jeremiah 29:12, the Lord reminds us that He is always listening. It reads: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

Read a Christian book or listen to a Christian podcast.

The Bible is a great tool to build your relationship with the Lord; however it’s not the only way you can get to know Him. We carry our smartphones everywhere we go, so reading a Christian book or subscribing to a Christian podcast is a great way to keep yourself entertained and fill up your extra free-time with something productive. 

Rest in the Lord.

We all know how exhausting a long day at work can be—it can be easy to feel worn out. For this reason, it is so important that we recharge by spending time with God. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” At times when we feel stressed, we can turn to God and He will provide us with the strength to continue.