What Are You Really Searching For?
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness..." — Matthew 6:33
Blazing Star rises above the prairie grass with vibrant purple blooms that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators from great distances. Standing against an endless horizon, it reminds us that some journeys lead us beyond ourselves toward something greater.
A few years ago, I spent nearly twenty frantic minutes looking for my reading glasses. I searched the kitchen counters, tore up the living room cushions, checked the bedroom nightstand, and retraced my steps over and over. I looked in bizarre places that made absolutely no logical sense, and at one point, I genuinely questioned whether I even owned a pair. Then I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror—the glasses were sitting right on top of my own head. Now, I would love to tell you this only happened once, but that would be a downright lie.
The reason I mention my own forgetfulness is that I sometimes wonder if we do the exact same thing in life. We spend years searching frantically for things we believe will finally bring us peace, security, purpose, contentment, or happiness. We search in possessions, success, appearance, approval, and the elusive promise of “just a little bit more.” And all the while, Jesus is gently pointing us right back to the Father, showing us that what we need has been right here all along.
The human heart is always searching for something. The trouble is that we often mistake symptoms for solutions. We feel lonely and buy something new. We feel restless and chase the next thing. We feel insecure and compare ourselves to others. We feel uncertain and worry about tomorrow. For a little while, those responses seem helpful. Then the feeling returns—because the deeper need was never addressed.
Years ago, I knew a woman who loved gardening. Every spring she planted flowers around her home, and by midsummer her yard was beautiful. One afternoon, I complimented her garden. She smiled and said something I’ve never forgotten: “Flowers are wonderful, but if you don’t take care of the roots, all you’re doing is decorating a problem.”
I’ve thought about that statement many times—not just because of gardening, but because of life. A surprising number of us spend years decorating problems. We decorate loneliness with new purchases. We decorate insecurity with busier schedules. We decorate dissatisfaction with more stuff. We decorate fear with endless planning. Jesus does something completely different: He goes straight to the root.
That is why He said:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33.
Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t tell us to seek possessions first, or success first, or approval first, or even personal happiness first. He says seek the Kingdom first. Because Jesus understood that the human heart will always organize itself around whatever it treasures most. If we treasure possessions, life becomes an endless cycle of acquiring. If we treasure status, life becomes exhausting. But if we treasure God, something remarkable happens. The other things in life finally find their proper, healthy place.
We can enjoy possessions without being controlled by them. We can appreciate success without building our identity on it. We can plan for tomorrow without living in constant fear of it. The most content people in this world are rarely the ones who have everything. They’re simply the ones who know what matters. They’ve stopped trying to fill eternal needs with temporary things. They’ve learned that contentment doesn’t come from having more, but from wanting less and trusting more.
Jesus isn’t inviting us into a smaller, boring life. He is inviting us into a fuller, deeper joy—the kind that survives difficult seasons and remains long after the excitement of a new purchase fades. When Christ becomes our ultimate treasure, everything else becomes lighter. We no longer have to carry the burden of proving ourselves or measuring our lives against everyone around us. We can simply open our hands and walk with Him.
What we hold holds us. And enough begins with trust.
So, what have you truly been searching for beneath all the distractions, the striving, and the worries? Take that question to the Lord and sit quietly with it. You might be surprised to find that your heart has been looking for Him all along.
And if you’ve ever found forgotten items in a dark closet, discovered mysterious grocery purchases you don’t remember making, uncovered a collection that may have quietly taken over a room, or finally located your reading glasses on top of your own head… please know you are in excellent company. Apparently, the human condition hasn’t changed nearly as much as we like to think. Now go double-check your head for those glasses.
