Finding Relief in the Focus on What Matters Most
By Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Matthew 22:37-39
It was a song I hadn’t heard in years. Until a recent quick drive across town when my phone connected to CarPlay, and somehow the shuffle function turned to an old familiar Carrie Underwood tune. The words I’d once sung without so much as a second thought, suddenly captivated me with an “aha” moment. It was this sweet line:
“When you figure out love is all that matters after all, it sure makes everything else seem so small.”
I had been facing some hard life challenges. An unforeseen financial downfall that had hit our circumstances like a freight train, causing all sorts of difficult decisions, suffocating setbacks, and loads of comfort-cuts so to speak. Yet, this whole mess followed a major close call of loss of a loved one, fell in the midst of others in my intimate circle dealing with devastating health declines, and all surrounded by a swelling sense of God‘s presence and loving hand over it all. So when these lyrics grazed my heart, it hit me. Comparatively half of what’s been holding me down in the dumps is vastly unimportant. But the loves of my life–love, is what really matters. People are what matter most. Our love for God and others–love from God and others–all of this is what actually matters. And as I become more aware and acknowledge this truth, everything else does seem much smaller.
Is there some stuff going on in your world right now, clogging up the joyful halls of your heart too? Cares that, if you’re being honest, have less to do with a focus on God‘s love, or love for his people, and more to do with worldly gain or a concern with the lack thereof. Maybe consumption with a job search, details of some project, our country's political state, or uncertainty of your financial future?
You know, the lines of Carrie’s song definitely aren’t directly out of the Bible, but I think we could agree that love might matter most to God too. Hence his greatest commandments mentioned in Matthew Chapter 22, to love God and others.
Not that he doesn’t care about all the other things you’re struggling through right now. Because quite the opposite is true—he most certainly sees and cares for it all. But, if you’re anything like me, you may gladly welcome this perspective shift for a moment. Because becoming consumed with anything of the world can absolutely start to drive us all crazy.
If you think about it—the other stuff we get all worked up over that starts to seem to matter so much. What is it that we are really wanting with, and from, it all? I think deep down we are wanting and reaching for relief. And we seek relief because we long for the comfort it brings. And how do we ultimately receive and experience true comfort? I think it’s from love. The fullness of love that only God can give.
And here’s what’s beautiful—something also reflected in the chorus of the same song, “What you’ve been out there searching for forever is in your hands.” God's love is in our very hands. We already have it. To receive, to give, to experience. With him and with others. Maybe we should shift our focus there for a deep breath from the tough stuff that is attempting to hold us down.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Think for a minute about the people in your life that you love. And those God has graced you with their love. You know they matter more than anything else the world wants to weigh you down with, don’t you? I pray you can find some precious relief you’ve been praying for at this very moment as you set your eyes and focus on them, on him, on what matters most. This, this love, is at your fingertips, in your hands, and in your heart. Always with you. God, God’s love, God’s people, and the blessing of being able to love them all back. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/phive2015
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