Many Christians assume that when Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV)” it means literally putting God first in everything you do. They interpret it as: wake up early, kneel down to pray, spend time in your devotional, show up to church every Sunday without fail. And when life gets in the way, they feel like they’re failing.
But the truth is life isn’t always that neat.
Sure, there may be a season in your life where this is possible. You can wake up early, have quiet time, pray, read your Bible, and show up at church faithfully. And yes, that’s excellent. That is beautiful. God loves it when we spend intentional time with Him. But life happens. Life is messy. And that routine you thought defined your faith might suddenly be impossible.
When Life Gets in the Way
What if tomorrow you start a new job that requires you to work Sundays? Suddenly, your “Sunday morning at church” routine is gone. Does that mean you’re failing as a Christian? Absolutely not.
Or imagine this: you’re raising five kids. Your mornings are chaos. Packing lunches, waking everyone up, getting them to school, and rushing to work yourself. Your quiet time, your devotional, your early-morning prayers, things you used to do faithfully don’t happen the way they used to. Does that mean you’re failing? No.
Or maybe you can’t do all the “first thing in the morning” spiritual rituals, because life still gets busy. Perhaps you carve out a break at work to spend time with God, read your Bible, or pray. That is okay. What matters isn’t when you spend time with God, it’s that you don’t forget Him.
Understanding “Seek First the Kingdom of God”
Many Christians base this idea of “putting God first” on Matthew 6:33, which says:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Here’s the thing: this verse doesn’t literally mean scheduling God first in your day. It isn’t about waking up at 5 am or checking “prayer” off your to-do list.
It’s about pursuing God’s kingdom, his reign and authority, over everything you do.
Think of it like a kingdom on earth. Let’s talk about the Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana. In the Ashanti Kingdom, the Otumfuo Asantehene reigns over the entire kingdom. If you seek his kingdom, it means you want his authority and reign over your life. You submit to his rule. Everything you do acknowledges his control. You don’t just honour him at certain hours, you live under his rule all the time.
Jesus’ message is the same. Seeking first the kingdom of God is about letting God reign in your life. Your thoughts, your actions, your decisions, every part of your life, should reflect that He is in control. When you live this way, all the other things in life, your needs, your priorities, your responsibilities, fall into place.
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God as the Centre of Your Life, Not Just “First” in Your Schedule
Seeking God first does not mean literally doing spiritual activities before anything else in the morning. Prayer, quiet time, Bible reading, and attending church. While those things are wonderful, the heart of seeking God isn’t about the order of your day; it’s about where God sits in your life.
To seek God first is really about making Him the centre, not just the starting point. Imagine your life as a wheel: God is the hub, and everything else; work, family, relationships, responsibilities, revolves around Him. When He is at the centre, everything spins in balance; when He’s at the edges, life becomes chaotic and stressful.
Even if your mornings are rushed, or life is chaotic, you can live a God-centred life by making intentional choices that reflect His authority and love. Being God-centred means that He influences every aspect of your life, your work, your interactions, and even your routines. So that all things fall into alignment naturally.
Living a Life That Glorifies God
The Bible makes it clear that our focus should be on letting God’s kingdom rule over all we do. This isn’t about the time we spend in prayer but about the attitude and intent behind our actions:
Colossians 3:17 (ESV):
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
This verse is a blueprint for seeking God’s kingdom. It tells us that even the ordinary, mundane tasks like cooking, cleaning, working, parenting, can glorify God when done with the right heart.
It’s not just about starting the day with Him; it’s about letting Him reign over your decisions, words, and priorities all day long.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV):
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Seeking first the kingdom of God means living in a way that honours God in everything, not just the spiritual activities.
It’s About Lifestyle, Not a Routine
Consider this scenario:
- Person A: Wakes up early, prays, and has a devotional. But once the rest of the day starts, they make decisions without considering God’s guidance; perhaps they speak harshly at work, neglect a friend in need, or let stress control their attitude.
- Person B: Wakes up and may not have the “perfect morning routine,” but throughout the day, they pause to pray, choose kindness, act with integrity, and let God guide their decisions.
Who is truly seeking the kingdom of God first? The answer is clear: it’s the one whose everyday actions reflect God’s reign, not merely the person who follows a strict routine.
God isn’t looking for a perfect schedule. He’s looking for a surrendered life. He wants you to let Him reign in your decisions, your actions, and your priorities, even when life is messy and routines are impossible.
Sure, it’s great if you can literally begin the day with prayer and devotional and all that and also let your everyday actions reflect God but just because you can’t begin the day with a quiet time, does not mean you are failing as a Christian.
Practical Ways to Seek God’s Kingdom Daily
Seeking God’s kingdom doesn’t have to look like a rigid schedule. Here are some practical ways to apply this principle:
1. Make Every Decision With God in Mind
Ask: “Does this action honour God?”
Whether it’s choosing how to respond to a colleague, deciding how to spend money, or handling conflict at home, your decisions can reflect God’s rule in your life.
Proverbs 3:6 (ESV): “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Acknowledging God in every choice isn’t about perfection, it’s about intention.
2. Serve Others Intentionally
Seeking God’s kingdom is often expressed through love and service. How we treat others reflects whether we are living under God’s authority.
Matthew 25:40 (ESV):
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Whether helping a neighbour, mentoring a colleague, or spending time with family, serving others can be a daily expression of God’s kingdom in action.
3. Use Small Moments Wisely
You don’t need a full hour in the morning to connect with God. Even brief moments, five minutes during lunch, a commute, or bedtime, can be sacred.
- Pray silently at work before a meeting.
- Reflect on a Bible verse while commuting.
- Thank God for small blessings throughout the day.
These moments build a lifestyle of surrender, reminding you that God reigns in every situation.
4. Remember God Throughout the Day
Keeping God central isn’t only about planned devotionals. It’s about mindset:
- Speak words that reflect God’s love and truth.
- Handle stress with prayer and trust.
- Let gratitude guide your perspective.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV):
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
The Freedom in Understanding This
Once you realise that seeking God first is about submission to His reign, not a checklist, it changes everything. You stop feeling guilty when life prevents you from an early morning devotion. You stop comparing yourself to others who have “perfect” routines. You can focus on living surrendered to God, even in the chaos of everyday life.
This perspective is liberating. It means:
- You can work Sundays if your job requires it and still be faithfully pursuing God.
- You can raise kids without losing your spiritual focus.
- You can live out your faith in the little choices of your day, not just the big scheduled rituals.
God doesn’t measure your faithfulness by your ability to wake up early. He measures it by your heart and your surrender. It’s about attitude and alignment, not just the timing of your spiritual activities.
Conclusion
So, if you’ve ever felt like you’re failing as a Christian because you don’t have a perfect routine, take heart. Seeking first the kingdom of God isn’t about a morning ritual, it’s about a lifestyle of surrender, obedience, and letting God reign in every area of your life.
Whether you have an hour of quiet time every morning or five minutes scattered throughout the day, what matters is that God is the centre of your life, guiding your decisions, your words, and your actions.
Your faithfulness is measured not by schedules or rituals but by your commitment to live under God’s authority. Live that, and everything else will indeed fall into place.
