Lamentations 3:25 (Amplified Bible)
The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God's word].
Seeking God is a commandment found throughout the Scriptures (112 references in the O.T.; 16 references in the N.T). Seeking God is a discipline that His true followers must do, and this verse, among many others, promises that the “Lord is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him”. However, if you were asked what does seeking God really mean, how would you answer? It’s a tough question, yet understanding and practicing the answers can make a huge difference in your outlook on life, especially as you start a brand new year where you want your life to be different, to matter to others and to be pleasing to God.
The Bible has several answers for what seeking God means. Here are a few of them (http://www.dianedew.com/seekgod.htm):
§ Seeking God is the soul and spirit of man longing for fellowship with God (Ps 63:1; Isa 26:9; John 4:23)
§ Seeking God defines the very purpose of man's existence (Acts 17:26-28).
§ Seeking God is part of the character of a godly person (I Chron 16:10-11)
§ Seeking God is not a casual exercise; it requires diligent effort like searching for treasure (II Chron 15:12, Prov 2:1-5, Jer 29:1).
§ Seeking God should be the Christian’s #1 priority (Matt 6:33
§ Failure to seek after God results in spiritual death (Isa 5:13, Hosea 4:6).
§ God looks for those who make the effort to seek Him (Psalm 14:2, 53:2; John 4:23
§ God promises that those who diligently seek him shall find him (Deut 4:29-31; Jer 29:11,14; I Chron 28:9; Psalms 9:10; Prov 8:17; Matt 7:7; John 6:37; James 4:8)
§ We do not seek Him in vain (Isa 45:19; Mal 3:13-14)
God promises His goodness to those who seek Him (see also Psalm 107:9 and Heb 11:6). What might His goodness include? I think it includes anything that you long for to give your life purpose and meaning. Here are other benefits---joy (Psalm 70:4; 105:3), peace and rest (II Chron 14:7; 15:12-15), understanding in the ways of God (Prov 28:5, Jer 33:3), strength to face anything (I Chron 16:11; Psalm 105:4; Isa 40:31; 41:1), prosperity and provision (I Chron 26:5; Psalm 34:9, 10 Matt 6:33) and security (Psalm 27:4-5). Is there anyone reading this who would not like to have all these benefits for the rest of your life?
People have great “wants” in their lives, wants that are seen visibly and immediately. Yet, deeper, even if you don’t realize it often if at all, is a longing for an intimate relationship with the Almighty. We long for Him because we were created for Him, and when we honestly and humbly recognize the importance of this need, we are then ready to seek God. We must devote ourselves wholeheartedly to finding Him. Is your most fervent hope entering into His presence and enjoying His fellowship?
We tend not to seek God when our lives are comfortable. If our temporal needs are met, we imagine that we can take care of ourselves and we forget about God. For this reason, God lets us suffer some deprivation. The needs that go unmet may differ from person to person, but each of us will have our hearts broken in some ways. The world and its value system will never give you what you deeply long for, what you were created to be satisfied with. Only a relationship with God that exists when you enjoy His Word, live by it and enjoy praying, praising, fellowship with other believers, and talking about the Lord to others will bring fulfillment in your life. Only God can perfectly satisfy your hunger and thirst for fulfillment in this life. He is always leading you, whether you realize it or not, in the direction of satisfaction in Him. Over the course of a lifetime, many people learn that a relationship with God is the only thing that you cannot do without.
Are you fulfilled with your life as it stands right now? Most will admit “no”. Some might say “yes” now, but it only takes something bad to happen to change that position quickly. Lasting fulfillment, even in the face of adversity, only comes through seeking and finding God. Are you seeking Him as genuinely as you can?
“All explorers are seeking something they have lost. It is seldom that they find it, and more seldom still that the attainment brings them greater happiness than the quest.” --Arthur C. Clarke
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