Deuteronomy 4:29-31 ERV; But there in these other lands you will look for the Lord your God. And if you look for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.  When you are in trouble—when all these things happen to you—then you will come back to the Lord your God and obey him.  The Lord your God is a merciful God! He will not leave you there or destroy you completely. He will not forget the agreement that he made with your ancestors.

If you were to read the entire chapter, you’d see that this is Moses speaking to the people, reminding them to do right and not turn away from God. He had explained to them that if they do turn, God would scatter them to other nations and they would serve as slaves, but if in the middle of their tribulations and captivity they would turn and look for God, they would find Him.

What does it mean to look for the Lord or to look for him with all your heart and soul? The dictionary says it this way; to turn one’s eyes toward something or in some direction in order to see; to use one’s sight or vision in seeking, searching, examining or watching. Sometimes we must stop focusing on the things that have captured our hearts and attention in order to focus on God. We create our own captivity by allowing the world to have us instead of ruling the world. God made us to rule and reign as kings and priests before Him, yet we allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in ‘things’ that we forget who God has created us to be. 

What are you a slave to? What has become your master? Take a good look at yourself, your surroundings, your friends, your job, your life and allow the Holy Spirit to show you what absorbs your attention. If it’s not Him, it’s time to look up, to change your focus and call out to God, to go after Him with all your heart. Children can draw our attention from God. I know this for a fact because when our children go through things, we’re so intent on rescuing them, fixing them, that we forget they belong to the Lord and our prayers are more powerful than anything we could ever do in the natural. It may not seem so at the time, but it’s the truth. We must keep our focus on God instead of the problem. Searching His Word for verses we can lay claim to, our contractual right to declare over them does more for them than fretting, worrying, screaming or being angry.

Everyday, in every situation we face, we must remember to seek the Lord about it. It will keep us from walking down the wrong pathway, keep us from having wrong relationships, making decisions based on feelings that will lead to regret, sorrow and ultimately, captivity.

Father, show me the error of my ways. Correct my steps that I may follow where you lead me and not run ahead or fall behind. May I be a doer of your Word, not just a hearer. I want more than that. I want everything I do to reflect you, everything I say to cause people to desire you. Cause me to hunger and thirst for your Word as if I hadn’t eaten for days, finding satisfaction and joy in your presence. It is here that I find you and in finding you I find life.