17 Proven Ways to “Seek First The Kingdom of God”

Keith KettenringBible Insights, Christian Living, The Uncommon Journey

At age 16, my heart was drawn into Matthew 6.25-33. It’s haunted me ever since. Not that I live it well. Yet, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousenss” has been the journey I’ve been on for almost 45 years. Over the years I’ve learned real ways to do this. I’m still learning and have much yet to learn.

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The Kingdom of God is God’s rule of your life. It’s not so much about God telling you things. It’s about who’s in control. It’s about the daily quest to rely upon God’s holy will in everyday life. It’s about pursuing first and foremost God’s rule in you. That God is sovereign means little unless you live its reality. The only way to live its reality, according to Jesus, is to prioritize the seeking of it.

Simply put, it boils down to decisions you make about who controls your heart and mind. You will create ways to let Jesus Christ be King of your heart and mind. Or you will be king yourself or let others control, or rule over, you.

These are ways I’ve learned to “seek first the Kingdom of God” in everyday life.

  1. Awake each day saying The Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
  2. Awake each day thinking of five things for which to be thankful,
  3. Go into solitude for at least 10 minutes in the morning. Pray. Meditate on Scripture. Let go of anxieties and agendas of the day.
  4. Pray for your family members with no predetermined outcomes; pray “Lord, have mercy on  ____________ .”
  5. Submit your heart and mind to God early in the day before you submit yourself to any kind of media including the newspaper.
  6. Pray the Lord’s Prayer at every meal.
  7. Set a timer to sound on your phone or watch for 9:00AM, Noon, 3PM, 6PM, and 9PM and silently pray the Lord’s Prayer or the Jesus Prayer when it sounds.
  8. When driving, keep the radio off and reflect on creation or meditate on God.
  9. Become attentive to the sounds of birds.
  10. Become attentive to the beauty around you.
  11. Give away/let go of something everyday – money to a poor person, your place in line, your control of someone, your expectations, your time to a worthy cause, or a valued possession.
  12. Do a little something early in the day that you don’t want to do – exercise, drink less coffee, pray, read your Bible.
  13. Don’t turn on the TV, radio, or computer before you go to work. Allow God to control your thoughts in the morning not the network gurus.
  14. Fast from meat once a week for a day or for one meal every week.
  15. When anxious thoughts hit you, release them to the Triune God by saying the Jesus Prayer.
  16. Express kindness for someone in a real but simple way today.
  17. Battle your judgmental thoughts and words with God’s grace and everything you have.

Do some of these to get you started. Seeking the kingdom is worth every effort.

Share your thoughts and experiences below.

Dr. K