FirstFruits~What Are You Pursuing?

Hello lovely readers and followers! Welcome to Part 2 of the FirstFruits series, where we explore the concepts of James 1.

What runs your life? That is the question James asks his fellow believers in verse 11.

For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits (James 1:11 NKJV).

A lot of people think that James is condemning all rich people, and that it is evil to have money. That’s not true, as sin affects us all no matter if we are rich or poor. The key is this sentence: “So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”

It’s not the money that hurts us, but rather our pursuit of it. This isn’t just about riches either. We often have many pursuits that are not about Jesus. Maybe it’s attention, relationships, our career or grades. Maybe it’s approval, or our appearance.

The truth is, we spend a lot of our time focusing on the wrong things and then wonder why our souls are left empty.

Again, the Word provides the answer we need.

 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death (James 1:14-15 NKJV). 

Sometimes our desires for the things of this world get out of hand. Instead of setting our hearts on God and His perfect will, we focus on what we think the world can satisfy us with. Verse 15 clearly shows us that the world cannot fulfill our deepest needs. In fact, when not aligned with the will of God, our wants can lead to sin, and this sin leads to spiritual death.

Here’s some real talk–I’m not a perfect person. I know what it’s like to pursue the world and wind up empty. I tried to find acceptance in my grades, appearance, and approval of others. I was looking for the acceptance that I had no idea was right in front of me the whole time.

Even though I still struggle with temptations (after all, I am only human), I know the secret to a fulfilled life and soul. When we pursue Jesus and His grace and love, we become fully alive in Him (Romans 6:8)!

God has more in store for us than we can ever imagine. He alone can satisfy our every need and desire, so we can fully enjoy the world around us the way He intended.

Right now I want you to take a few minutes to ask yourself, “what have I been pursuing lately?” Is it things of God or things of this world? Wherever you’re at, ask Jesus for His abundant life as you surrender your heart. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to comment and share 🙂

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