Seek First the Kingdom
BY DANNON

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 

                             nor are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,  

so are My ways higher than your ways and 

My thoughts than your thoughts.  

Is. 55:8-9

God’s ways are always consistent, never changing and so much higher than ours.  Many times, they are so far above our ways that it is nearly impossible to understand them without the Holy Spirit revealing it to us.

Whether we are dealing with big things or small things, we can always seek God’s perspective.  A big thing may be a crisis moment like dealing with a medical emergency or it may be as small as cleaning a toilet.  Often times, we must deal with relational conflict.  At Redcloud, we work, eat, play, and worship together.  As a result, there are plenty of opportunities for relational conflict.  It is never easy to deal with, but we are always left with a choice to deal with it in a Kingdom way using God’s standard, or to deal with it in our own way using our own standards (Worldly way).  I have found that the worldly way often leaves us feeling abandoned, hurt, disappointed, upset, worried, anxious, defensive, providing excuses, or closed off, to name a few.

The Lord has been teaching me to seek His face, His perspective, and His standard in every circumstance (whether I view it to be bad or good) and to teach others to do the same.  Since arriving at Redcloud, I have dealt with big things that have affected many; a camper death, sexual child abuse by a staffer,  substance abuse by staffers, and camp unity. I have also dealt with small things that affect only a few, like petty arguments, lies, and judging others.  Whether good or bad, they are all things that happen in life.  All of these circumstance are allowed by God’s sovereignty so that we have opportunities to seek His face and respond to them the way that He wants us to respond.  It is in this way that others see God working in and through our lives.

The Lord has given me many chances to speak this year to my church body, staff, one on one discipleship, and LEAD campers.  In seeking to equip my six full time staff and the hundreds of seasonal staff that I work with over a year, there is one theme that God is constantly growing in me.  

There is a Kingdom way and a worldly way.  God has placed each of us in different places whether work, family, or play and we all have the ability to influence others for God’s Kingdom in those areas.  Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”  By seeking His perspective and standard on all things, we don’t have to worry, fear, or be anxious in any circumstance.  God has a plan and his standard is greater than all.  Even if we can’t understand His way, it is still better and He will take care of the rest.  

Pray for me as I seek His ways above all others and know that I am doing the same for you.  It isn’t easy, but none of us will regret it.