I'd Rather Have You
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
What If What I Want Is Pulling Me Away From Who I Need?
Sometimes we become so focused on what we want God to give us that we lose sight of God Himself.
We pray for the door. We pray for the opportunity. We pray for the relationship. We pray for the breakthrough. And none of those desires are automatically wrong.
But spiritual maturity asks a deeper question: What happens when getting what I want requires me to move outside of God's direction?
Seek Me With Your Whole Heart
Jeremiah spoke God's Word to people living through displacement and disappointment. They wanted their circumstances changed immediately, but God was doing something deeper than simply changing their location.
He was calling their hearts back to Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 does not present God as an accessory to our plans. God promises that those who genuinely seek Him will find Him.
There is a difference between seeking something from God and seeking God Himself.
The Shift
Mature discipleship moves us from: “Lord, make my plans work” toward: “Lord, teach me to want what You want.”
Before You Ask for His Hand, Seek His Heart.
Consider the decisions in front of you today. Your plans. Your relationships. Your finances. Your career. Your ministry. Your future.
Are you asking God to direct you—or asking Him to approve something you have already decided?
You don't have to be afraid of God's direction. The One directing you loves you better than you know how to love yourself.
Lord, I'd Rather Have You.
Father, forgive me for the times I have wanted what You could give me more than I wanted You. Teach me to seek Your heart before Your hand.
When my plans compete with Your will, give me the courage to choose You. When Your way requires waiting, give me patience. When obedience costs me something, remind me that nothing I surrender for You is greater than what I have found in You.
Jesus, You are the One who owns my heart. Today I choose Your presence over my preference, Your direction over my desires, and Your will over my way.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Be a Disciple.
Be the Difference.
God's Word wasn't given merely to inform us. It was given to transform us.
Continue the Journey →YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME AT EKKLESIA
Ekklesia is more than a Sunday gathering. We're a community of people learning to follow Jesus, grow as disciples, and live His Word every day.
7023 Raggard Road • Louisville, KY 40216
Kids & Youth Ekklesia
One Word. One family. Age-appropriate discipleship for the next generation.
KIDS • AGES 8–12
I CHOOSE JESUS
Jeremiah 29:13 NLT
Read Kids Devotional ↓
“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
Jeremiah 29:13 NLTGod Wants You to Know Him
Sometimes we really, really want something—a new game, new shoes, to go somewhere fun, or for something to happen exactly the way we want.
But here's something important: God wants us to want Him, too.
God loves giving us good things, but the things God gives us should never become more important than God Himself.
Think about someone you love. You wouldn't want them to visit you only because they wanted you to give them something. You'd want them to spend time with you because they love you.
God wants a real relationship with you.
You can talk to Him when you're happy. You can talk to Him when you're upset. You can read His Word, pray, worship, and ask Him to help you make good choices.
And when what you want is different from what God wants, you can trust that God's way is best.
Jesus, thank You for loving me. Help me not to only come to You when I want something. I want to know You, love You, and follow You. When my way is different from Your way, help me choose Your way. Jesus, I choose You. Amen.
YOUTH • AGES 13–17
IF IT COSTS ME JESUS,
IT COSTS TOO MUCH
Jeremiah 29:13 NLT
Read Youth Devotional ↓
IT COSTS TOO MUCH Jeremiah 29:13 NLT
“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
Jeremiah 29:13 NLTHow Much Is What You Want Really Worth?
There are going to be things you really want.
A relationship. Acceptance. Popularity. More followers. A certain friend group. A spot on the team. Success. Money. Freedom. Maybe even somebody's attention.
Wanting something isn't automatically wrong.
The question is: What are you willing to sacrifice to get it?
Sometimes what we want can slowly pull us away from God. We stop praying like we used to. We compromise something we know is wrong. We change ourselves so people will accept us. We ignore what God is saying because His direction doesn't match what we planned.
That's when following Jesus becomes more than something we say.
Jeremiah 29:13 says we find God when we seek Him with our whole heart.
Not half our heart for Jesus and the other half for whatever everybody else is doing.
That's maturity.
God isn't trying to ruin your life by giving you direction. He's teaching you how to recognize what is actually worth having.
A relationship isn't worth losing yourself over.
Popularity isn't worth compromising your convictions.
Success isn't worth abandoning your character.
And if getting what you want requires walking away from Jesus, it costs too much.
Jesus, I don't want anything more than I want You. Help me recognize when pressure, relationships, popularity, desires, or my own plans are pulling my heart away from You.
Give me courage to choose Your way even when it isn't the easiest or most popular choice. Teach me to seek You with my whole heart.
If having it means losing closeness with You, Lord, I'd rather have You. Amen.