We may go through life uncertain about many things. Uncertain if we are going to land that job we recently applied for.
Uncertain that our parenting skills will not fail our children. Even uncertain if we are going to come out of the latest health crisis we are facing.
Whatever your current uncertainty is, there is one thing that we can be certain of. That is our salvation in Christ. We can be certain to Seek God with hope and assurance.
The story In Acts 17, has to be one of my favorites because it addresses our frailty as humans to want something greater than what we can see.
The Greeks created gods to explain what they could not understand. They grasped at everything and when they were not certain what it was or how to fix it, they created a new god for it. Share on XThey had it right in looking to the Heavens, but so far off by seeking everything but the True God.
Bottom line was they were looking for hope. They were looking for assurance in this life and they looked in everything they could think of.
In fact, they even left that open for a possibility, the unknown. They had resorted to every god they could think of to fix something but still were left feeling broken.
In Acts 17, Paul visits Athens. What he notices is their city of full of idols. There is one particular altar, however, that is dedicated, “To An Unknown God”. Paul addresses the people who seem to be seeking everything, even the unknown.
Are We Different Today?
Not much is different than today. People are constantly seeking unknown gods. Seeking fulfillment in nearly everything except the source of life.
We try to find it everywhere. In riches, fame, work, hobbies, activities, even family and friends.
Yet, somehow, we are left empty. Seeking more.
There was a time in my life when I lived in complete rebellion against God. I sought fulfillment in everything this world had to offer. When one thing didn’t satisfy me, I moved onto another.
But every time, I came up feeling less and less satisfied. I had worshipped what this world had to offer. I looked for gods to be made out of a career, lifestyle, and even pleasure.
When those things could no longer fulfill my needs, I found myself in the bottom of a pit with only one way out.
Looking Back to Jesus.
Are Christians Exempt?
As Christian people, we can find ourselves doing much of the same things. We are guilty of filling our time gaps with all of these things in pursuit of this one thing.
Maybe it’s not as blatant as worshipping the ways of the world. Maybe is it something we so often do; create our own God to worship.
Maybe it’s the God who only loves or the God of only grace. We create gods out of attending worship service or following the legalistic rules we have created.
Yet, no matter how hard we try and make our own god, the one that may be more palatable to us or to the world, we feel empty.
This purpose, this fulfillment that just can’t seem to be met no matter how hard we try.
In this Seeking God Series, we are going to take in God’s Word. My purpose is this one thing. This thing we seem to be missing. This thing we are in hot pursuit of, only to be left empty-handed.
His name is Jesus.
We are going to be learning and living and breathing Him in. We will be seeking His heart so we can find our identity in Him and not in the unknown.
Getting to know God so we can know who we are in Him will be our great reward.
How are we going to do this? Great Question!
God has left us all He wants us to know about Him, about us, in the pages of Scripture. If we are in Christ, He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, convict us, and teach us.
There is one way to know God. We have to dive into His Word! We are going to do just that.
One concept at a time.
Learning and holding tight to scripture to get us through all of our life’s circumstances.
We are going to hide His Word deep in our hearts so when times of uncertainty flow from our lives, we can bathe in the certainty of God’s Word.
We are going to be able to breathe out the truth when we are filled with the unknown and with lies that seem bigger than we are.
5 Ways to Seek God with Hope and Assurance
As believers in Christ, we want to know God personally, intimately, and deeply and the great news is… we can!
Combat the Lies of the enemy
If your anything like me, you want something tangible you can hold onto. Sometimes, our faith feels alone. Even when we have God, He may feel at a distant or silent. I want to seek God with hope and assurance.
Often times that is the lie of the enemy. Telling us God is not here for us or that He leaves us for another more important assignment.
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Psalm 13:2 (NLT)
Let’s not give the enemy the upper hand. Let’s combat him with the Word just as Christ did!
Our feelings don’t get to dictate the truth and reality of God’s Word. To know God is to love His commands and to love His Word and that is exactly where we are going to start.
Being uncertain is okay. We just don’t want to stay there.
If you are here, I know you are seeking. That’s awesome and completely excites me. I am so glad you’re here. Let’s Get started!
Ready to have something to hold onto?
Swords in the Air! (Hebrews 4:12)
Take a look at these verses and pray over them. Let God sink His Words into your heart and to a place where you will begin to have full assurance of Him.
You can start with the assurance of this verse.
ASK. SEEK. KNOCK.
God says for everyone who asks receives, who seeks finds, and to him who knows He will open the door for you. Share on XMatthew 7:7-8 (BSB) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
One time, I had a guy online get really mad at me, well honestly, he was mad at God. He said, “I tried to find God and I couldn’t” He felt empty after his pursuit. Friends, let me assure you God is not trying to hide from us.
But He will be hesitant to reveal Himself to us when we don’t really want to find Him. He knows our heart and our motives.
He is not a genie that grants wishes and shows up when it is convenient for us. Honestly seek Him and you will find Him.
RECEIVE. FIND. BE WELCOMED IN.
Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21 (NASB)
We want to seek God wholeheartedly, just as Hezekiah did. Then we, too, will prosper in the will of God.
Why do we want to seek God? Why do we want to do His will wholeheartedly by faith?
The author of Hebrews tells us without faith it is impossible to please God. We want to please God because we love Him and there we will find our rewards, His blessings.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
We will find God and we can rest in His hope when we are earnest seekers of His will, not just our own.
Face to Face
I love this next verse. It always reminds me of the hope I have in Christ. To See Him face to face.
You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8 (ESV)
The longing that I have for that glorious day wells up inside of me. It is a fresh spring that quenches my soul when my heart grows faint.
I can look forward to the day where my gaze is no longer on the clouds or a hope in the future but on my Father who will someday return in the clouds just as He left.
Our eyes will meet, just as all eyes will see Him in His glory, and I pray for this day when my knees will bow before my King.
Don’t put off till tomorrow what needs to be done today
Finally, David, gave instructions to his son Solomon to serve God wholeheartedly and willfully.
I used to believe that spending time in God’s Word was a task. A to-do. Put it on the list and mark it off.
That didn’t excite me or keep me very dedicated. Especially because I am a procrastinator and my to-do can always wait until to-morrow.
Not my time with God.
Now, I realize this is a relationship I depend so deeply on. This verse reminds me of God’s Authority over my life and King over All.
It puts me in proper placement to Him. It also reminds me that He will be there when I seek Him. I love to know my unchangeable God.
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)
We can use these verses as reminders to Seek God. We are reminded that when we do, we will surely find Him and the hope that He offers through His Son Jesus.
Seeking His ways gives us hope and assurance not only in this life but in our eternal life to come.
Knowing God’s Word is key to having this truth reign in our lives.
Do you have other ways or verses that you hold onto that help you seek God with hope and assurance?
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Seek God with Hope and Assurance
Pinning this one, Jaime! Thanks for words that point toward hope in Christ! (And I followed you on Pinterest–surprised that I had not done that already!)
Thanks, sweet friend! You’re funny. I thought for sure we were connected on Pinterest. Thanks for your encouraging words! Have a great week.
Hello…. this is my first time here.
Hi Liberty. I am so glad that you are joining us today. I love continuing the conversations about God’s Word and meeting with friends in the comments. Take a look around. My hope is to encourage through friends through God’s Word so we can have a deep relationship with Him. Have a great week and I hope to see you back soon!
Jaime, this looks like it will be a wonderful series. The word of God hidden in our hearts in our only hope for peace and assurance. I want all I can get! Pinning and sharing.
Thanks, I have been compelled to redo this series after a recent study time. Peace and assurance seem to be an illusion to many but the hope that we can have in Jesus is real and certain. We don’t have to wonder. He is truly there to meet us with open arms. Thanks so much for joining us, friend!
Great takeaways here Jaime! Love the wisdom of David to Solomon to seek with “wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind,” So often we get distracted or yes, think of our seeking time as another item on the to do list. I’ll remember that admonishment next time I’m tempted to let my mind wander! Thanks-happy to link up too!
Hi, Jill. I am so happy to see you again. I was just reading the story of Solomon and David tonight to my daughter in her children’s Bible. And it really stuck out to me although it was a cartoon, that one of David’s final requests was for Solomon to Love God wholeheartedly. What a treasure to be able to pass to our children. The love of Jesus so they themselves can be a new generation on the rise to worship a Mighty King. I am afraid, out kiddos are going to need that encouragement more than ever. Thanks for joining us, friend!