I am going to come out and just say it. I am a couch potato and certain shows just grab my attention. Lately, I catch myself watching this one show on the Discovery Channel where a man and a woman have to survive 21 days in the wild with little or no resources. A few things scare me about my fondness of this show. One, I am fascinated with the premise of the show, but do not really understand why if you found yourself in the wild and had to survive I am not sure why you would be nude. Secondly, I might like to watch people choose to make themselves miserable.

 I really enjoy the show because it makes me reflect on my own. Face it. Life really sucks sometimes and situations in life can really make you feel miserable, confused, alone, and abandoned all without being naked and in the wilderness. Frankly, I just want to know how I can keep my head above water before I drown in all life’s stress and misery.

The one thing that has worked for me has always been prayer. Now, it is not for everyone, and I encourage you all to find out what works for you. I can only attest to my own experiences and my beliefs. Too many times, I have been so distracted in my own needs and wants that I placed God in the back burner only to find myself feeling miserable, alone, and afraid. However, when I remember to put God at the core of everything I do, there is nothing to fear.

Remembering to put God first is hard work. It is a constant daily challenge where some days I lose out to my selfishness. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus invites us into His way of life, which entails abandonment of a former way of life. That former life being where God was put on the back burner and God was placed second and our needs came first. We need to break out of our selfish shells and return to Him.  That is why, Jesus tells us to “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Because God has always been with us. We are not alone.  It has always been our choice to accept Him. It is important to remember that placing God first doesn’t mean that you will automatically become a millionaire or get that new car. It means that in whatever we do we choose love first and our needs last. It means taking the time to placing God in everything we do.

Loving Father,

Help me battle my selfishness today. Help me to shed away my former life and look to you as the focus my life. Help be mindful of your presence and love so that I can be your humble servant.

Amen.