Two Questions, One Thing from Paul Tripp Ministries
I have two questions to ask you today. I would encourage you to answer them honestly, without pretending to be more devout than you actually are, and specifically, without providing vague generalizations.
- If you had the ability to change one thing in your life, what would you change?
- If someone very wealthy and powerful offered to fulfill one thing you desired, what would you request?
Let me start with my own honest confession. On most days, my answer wouldn’t sound like this: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4).
Are there moments in my day, or seasons of my life, when I’m spiritually alive and passionately pursuing the Lord? Yes, by grace! Some of you are in that season right now. But the spiritual reality for many of us is that, at some point, our “one thing” is not actually Jesus Christ.
Here’s why that spiritual reality is dangerous: whatever your one thing is will control your heart.
The Bible is clear that whatever controls our heart will exercise inescapable influence over our words, choices, and actions. That one thing will shape and direct our responses to the situations, locations, and relationships of daily life.
If the Lord Almighty isn’t our one thing, something elese will become our functional lord. Whether for a moment, a day, a month, a season, or for many years, this one thing will exercise dominion over us in some way, shape, or form.
No matter who you are, and no matter how long you’ve been a disciple of Christ, there’s a war being fought on the turf of your heart for that one thing. There’s one thing your heart craves. There’s one thing that you look to for satisfaction, contentment, and peace. There’s one thing you mourn when it’s taken away.
What, today, is your one thing?
Would you confess with me that there are many moments when Jesus isn’t your one thing? Would you examine your heart and find the one thing that competes with him as Lord? Would you submit yourself to spiritual community and allow others to help you with your one thing struggles?
Jesus died so that your heart would be freed from bondage to any one thing that isn’t Himself.
God bless
Paul Tripp
Reflection Questions
- If you had the ability to change one thing in your life, what would you change?
- If someone very wealthy and powerful offered to fulfill one thing you desired, what would you request?
- How can you submit to spiritual community and ask others for help?