"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple." (Psalm 27:4)
To welcome you to my blog, let me ask you a question: do you remember the feeling of losing something, especially an item that held significant or sentimental value to you? Do you recall how it felt to search for it?
For some of you, I imagine you felt upset and confused, asking yourself questions like, "Where did I leave it last?" "When and where did I last see it?" or "When was the last time I held it?"
Many of us have misplaced or lost something precious or something we needed—particularly when we needed it the most (great timing, right?). Even worse than losing something is losing someone dear to us. Along the way, as we agonize over searching for those lost things, people, or answers, we might find ourselves feeling lost too.
Allow me to share this with you.
Not everything we seek is truly lost. Sometimes, it’s right beside us, and all we need is a little adjustment or a closer look to find it. Perhaps we were searching for something that wasn’t even ours, something that wasn’t meant for us. I say this because I, too, have found myself in these situations.
But here, the Bible offers a clear tip for seeking. Imagine if the one you were searching for spoke to you directly:
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with ALL YOUR HEART. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Doesn't that make you want to seek more? The assurance that it can be found feels as though someone is saying, "It's right there under your nose!"
But there was just one thing missing...
Finally, consider this: maybe we weren’t searching with our whole hearts.
There were times when I felt like I had reached the “dead-end” of my search. Sometimes, we might think we've hit a wall and accept that we've lost whatever it was. Little did we know that we had only offered part of our hearts in the search. We would never really find it because the other half is set on other things.
Now, where’s the other half of your heart? Well, for me, I laid it unto searching things that weren’t for me. I ended up reaching countless dead-ends. I ended up getting myself into great amount of pain and bitterness. I was looking for my own broken pieces from people and places that just took my heart further. I failed to look to the One who knew and embarked a great amount of love for me, and that is God, my Father.
So, where’s the other part of your heart? For me, I spent it searching for things that weren’t meant for me. I ended up at countless dead-ends, in immense pain and bitterness. I was looking for my own broken pieces in people and places that only took my heart further away from Him. I failed to seek the One who knew me and loved me deeply—God, my Father.
Have you ever felt lost while seeking? Lost while trying to find God, our very own Father? Our greatest love? Our heart’s true desire? Have you ever found yourself saying, “I just don’t feel Him in my life!”
Maybe we weren’t seeking with our whole hearts. Remember, Jeremiah 29:13 emphasizes seeking with all your heart. Perhaps we gave only a fourth, a half, or two-thirds of our hearts, leaving the remaining fragments on things that could eventually prevent our hearts from becoming whole again.
It’s clearly stated in the Bible that when we seek Him, we will surely find Him, but only if we seek Him with all our heart. Losing something or someone can be hard, bitter, painful, and even damaging. But I’ve realized that seeking brings a greater outcome than merely accepting that something is lost forever. It’s like resigning your heart to hopelessness. Have you forgotten about His grace?
The truth is written: in Christ, nothing is truly lost. It was always there, and I had to humble myself to admit that I hadn’t fully given my heart to seeking. One day, I came across David’s prayer:
One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
Instead of dwelling on things I couldn’t find and things that weren’t meant for me—along with all the pain and bitterness of the past—I started longing to dwell in the house of the Lord. I yearn to be there and gaze upon my Father’s everlasting greatness and glory. I long to dwell on His promises and the transformative work He is doing in my life.
If only we truly gave our whole hearts to Him, then the other part we laid on searching for other things could also be found in Him, right there in His dwelling place.
To close, let me ask you one last question: how did it feel when you finally found what you were seeking? Was it satisfying? Fulfilling?
Despite all the pain, struggles, weaknesses, and overwhelming circumstances, we only need to look and seek that one thing: His dwelling place. You’ll be amazed at how God works to mold our broken pieces into a masterpiece, removing the excess baggage of the past and replacing what was lost with something greater as He transforms our lives.
Just like David with his prayer, surely, we will gaze upon the beauty of our Father all the days of our lives when we choose to find and place ourselves in His dwelling place.
My prayer for myself and for all of us on this life journey is to continually desire to see what God has yet to reveal in our lives. No amount of pain or bitterness can compare to the satisfaction and fulfillment we receive when we seek Him wholeheartedly.
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