What Does Seeking God's Kingdom Look Like in My Life?

“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

One way you can engage God’s kingdom in your life is through prayer. Jesus kindly showed us how we should pray to God. When we speak to the Father, we should make our requests in a way that His will is done, not our own. The tendency for myself and some other Christians is to pray with only ourselves in mind.

Maybe we are going through a season of suffering and can only seem to focus on what is wrong in life. While we can pray for God to take away all the bad, are we seeking His will? God allows suffering for a reason (Romans 5:3-5).

Sometimes we pray asking for particular blessings out of feeling we like deserved or earned them. Again, this is praying for self and not for God’s will.

God does what He wants, and we cannot change that (Job 23:13). As His servants, we should wish to change that. Instead, our aim should be to pray in accordance with what God desires. Doing so allows Him to use us to spread His will on Earth, whether that be in our lives or in some consequence to other people.

2. Listen to God

“I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what I should reply about my complaint.” (Habakkuk 2:1)

While we can spend a great deal of time praying, we should also spend time listening to God. This is a difficult area for me. I spend so much time voicing my feelings and frustrations to God that I don’t spend enough time hearing Him. God does reply.

Habakkuk provides a better example of how to listen. After praying, we should wait for God to respond to us. The response may not be immediate, clear, and maybe God doesn’t respond in the way we expect, but surely we can expect Him to guide us.

Listening to God is yet another example of us being able to bring His will to Earth. Listening allows us to follow God in the direction He says to go and perform the actions he says to do. This exemplifies us as members of His kingdom and helps us to expand His kingdom here on Earth.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images/fizkes

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Growing up as a child, I expected my parents to cook meals for me. With that expectation, I withheld any words of gratitude. In my young mind, there was no need to thank them for something they had to give me. When I became an adult, my attitude changed. I was grateful for what my parents had done for me, something not every parent does for a child. Some children didn’t even have parents who could feed them. Thus, I started thanking my parents for meals while I lived at home, and even when I moved out and just visited.

My gratitude didn’t stop with my family either. I started to thank people for many things, even the most mundane.

“Thanks for the phone call.”

“Thanks for hanging out.”

“Thank you for listening.”

Gratitude helps you recognize not just when people have done things for you, but how God has blessed you, and blessed you tremendously. Do we ever truly recognize how much God blesses us? Are we grateful for waking up in the morning, having a mind to think, ears to listen, shoes to wear, toothpaste to put in our mouths? You get the picture.

Gratitude definitely uplifts the people around us by making them feel appreciated. That’s important for the Kingdom of God. Moreover, gratitude brings us closer to the Lord. With gratitude, we can begin to understand His benevolent character.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images/pondsaksit

Community will look different depending on personality and circumstance. For example, Christians meeting in China or Nigeria may have to meet more discreetly and with fewer people to avoid persecution. For now in America, Christians can gather in mass to celebrate faith. Whatever the case may be, God has designed us to be in community with one another. As God said himself, man being alone is not good (Genesis 2:18).

We can thus find community in church, Bible study groups, family, friends, romantic partners, etc. Community makes living life easier because when troubles come our way we don’t have to fight the difficulties alone (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Community, especially when faith-oriented, has the ability to draw us closer to God. The closer we are to Him, the more we bring His kingdom into our lives and into the world around us.

5. Love Love Love… and more Love

“Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.” (1 John 4:11)

There are certain people in life that bring you joy. Something about their presence is captivating, even without them speaking to you or engaging much. Simply being in their presence is pleasant. I’ve met people like that, and thankfully, some people have held me in the same regard. My conclusion is that the good vibes are a result of unfiltered love.

This is the kind of love God has called us to show to one another. Of course, as with many concepts, this is easier said than done. However, the ease does not matter as much as the outcome.

Jesus grew God’s Kingdom on earth because of what He believed and what He did. He loved. How much could we do if we strived to be like Jesus in our own lives, no matter where in the world we find ourselves or when.

Love, love, love. That’s what God’s Kingdom should look like in our lives.

photo Credit: © Getty Images/Rawpixel