A Treasure Far Greater than Answers

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure, and then he hid it in the field again. He was so happy that he went and sold everything he owned to buy that field” (Matt. 13:44, NCV).

Have you ever been wrestling with a complex, difficult question, and wished God would speak more loudly? I know I have.

In the short run, that would certainly make things easier. In the long run, however, it’s not the best thing for us. For it’s in the process of searching out His heart, that our intimacy with Him grows.

In the parable above, the man finds a lifechanging treasure. Obviously, this treasure is worth more than all of his worldly possessions. Do you know what that treasure is? It’s intimacy with Daddy God. And how did he come to find it? Was it lying on the ground in the field, in plain sight, easily accessible? No. Clearly, this man had been digging. And so it is with the treasures of Daddy’s heart. They are not just lying around, easy to be had. They are in the deeper places. They require treasure hunting. They require us eagerly, joyfully surrendering all that we are in exchange for them, as this man did.

Sometimes, when an answer to our question doesn’t come quickly or easily, it’s because Daddy is luring us into deeper intimacy, where true treasures lies. He knows that the process of digging deeply, of seeking Him out wholeheartedly, will transform us. You can be assured, He will lead you in the way that is best for you. However, He is not a vending machine where you pop in your card or some change, and out pops the answer that we want. He is a Person, and He is longing for intimate time with us.

Jesus disclosed to us that Daddy is seeking worshipers (John 4:23). This means that what He yearns for most of all is that we would come into His presence and love on Him. Sometimes, we rush in and begin immediately with the problem that is perplexing us. This is not the best approach. Instead, if we listen carefully, we will hear His Spirit saying, “Shhhhh. Just come draw near. Sing to Me. Love on Me. Let the exchange of our love begin to flow.”

I have found, that as I respond to this longing of His heart, my inner being begins to settle into His presence. The longer I linger in private worship, the more His peace fills up and seals every crack in my soul. And then, many times I find that by the end of my intimate time with Him, in the midst of the peace that has infused me, my heart simply knows what the answer is to my question.

There are two things to learn here:

1. He longs for us to seek Him, for Him, more than we are seeking for answers. Can you relate to this? Can you sniff it from a mile away when someone seeks you out because they want something from you? Is it not ever more special to you when they simply have called because they want to know how you are? When we come to Daddy just to be with Him, that’s His favorite thing. Everything else that we need, including guidance, flows from there.
2. He will always speak and direct our hearts through peace. Peace is the language of spiritual guidance. When He does answer our questions, it will be with a peace, a knowing, a certainty that settles into the depths of our spirit. It may not make any logical sense whatsoever, but His peace will keep us safe as we walk forward in the way He is showing us.

I will add, though, that intimacy with Him is not a quick fix either. Just as the deepest kind of true human intimacy takes years to develop, so it is with Him. It’s in the drawing near to Him daily, again and again and again and again and again, that we come to more profoundly understand the ways He speaks to our spirits. What a breathtaking journey this becomes, as He takes us deeper and deeper into His heart!

A closing thought. Sometimes when we are faced with a major decision, anxiety and fear can threaten to paralyze us. We can get so nervous that we might make the wrong choice! The best solution to this conundrum, is worship. Put your favorite worship music on, and begin to lift Him up. Sometimes we have to literally force ourselves to do this, to focus on Him, to exalt Him with all the energy of our being. But it works! This is the battle strategy that He has given us to break through into a place of peace, connection, and serenity in His presence.

So when in doubt, worship! Worship until you have left the chaos behind! Dig in deep with all the passion of your soul. And I assure you, you will find treasure that is worth giving your life away, just to possess it.

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Do you ever spend most of your devotional time just worshiping?