The most important discovery a follower of Jesus Christ can make is to discover what really matters to God. That discovery will direct our lives and create a simpler expression of our faith. All the rest is clutter. The clutter will offer us a sense of religious busyness, but it does not discover the deeper intent of God.
Paul penned an interesting phrase in his letter to the Church in Philippi. As he prayed for the Philippians’ love to overflow he did so to help them grow in their knowledge and understanding of God. He prayed that way for a reason, “For I want you to understand what really matters” (Philippians 1:10).
Paul said that discovery will produce an excellent character that will help us live a blameless life until the Lord’s return. To live in that simple faith “will bring much glory and praise to God” (vs. 11).
This phrase “what really matters” has been defined as “to test, prove, the things that differ, to distinguish between good and evil, lawful and unlawful.” It requires effort on our part to come to that mature understanding. It requires a continual uncluttering of our faith to determine what really matters to God.
If our life of faith has become overly complicated the only way to unravel that constricting presence is to search for what matters to God and discard everything else. A great deal of our faith may not really matter to God. Only truth matters to Him living within the freedom it offers. The rest is a waste of time because it will occupy our lives with things that will not matter when the Lord returns to receive his Bride.
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42