I remember my husband hearing a podcast about priorities (this was at least a few years ago) and relaying the message: a man claimed his priorities started with God, then spouse, family, health...so on and so forth.
My husband then posed that same question to me. I genuinely admired the man who claimed God as his number one priority, and I whole-heartedly wanted to understand and feel the need for God first in my life. For some reason, I couldn't. I didn't get it. I thought I didn't have time, energy, resources (think of every excuse we have in not doing something when we don't truly see the value in it). I couldn't see it because my heart wasn't ready for that. God was still working on me.
I continued to name my priorities in order (God not ranking very high) and I had rational for all of it; and I had no doubt that I was capable of putting my heart (in it's current state) fully into each relationship and assignment of my life.
I felt if I added Jesus to the top of that list, it would take away from what I felt were the most important things in my life.
For example - based on my knowledge of how this world works- if I put my career ahead of my family, clearly my family life would start to feel my absence physically, mentally, emotionally.
But the truth is, I was all wrong:
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight."
1 Corinthians 3:19
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."
James 1:5
When God opened my heart to Him, I grew more capacity to love and a greater ability to dedicate my every being to love everything in my life through Him.
It energized me. Made me feel true worth. My earthly knowledge of thinking that adding something to my plate takes away from others; that there would be too much sacrifice made in bringing Jesus to the forefront of my life, was WRONG. Instead, my kids know the Lord and reflect the Lord in ways that encourage me. My marriage is stonger than ever. I feel closer to my friends and a deeper need for fellowship in my walk. I am more content and grateful for my career. I live with a foundation that is rock solid.
By putting the Lord first - truly putting Him first - my entire life shifted into a new, better plane. That is because I am now loving with the love the Lord has given me.
