Matthew 6:31–33 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
As a child of God, know that it is your Heavenly Father’s pleasure to provide for all your needs. Jesus Himself tells us, “For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” But God does not want you to seek after things. He wants you to seek first His kingdom. And when you do that, all the things that you need will be added to you!
Jesus is talking about the provision of God in these verses. But He is also saying something else. He is linking the provision of God in your life to how much you prioritize God in your life.
Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God… all these things shall be added (provided) to you”.
So your first priority every day is to seek His kingdom. The word “first” in verse 33 is the Greek word proton, which means “first in order of importance, holding the highest place in all our affections”. This means your seeking is coming from your heart – it's real, it’s not something that is being faked.
We are not to seek after things the way Gentiles do. The word “seek” (verse 32) is the Greek word epizeteo. It means “to seek with all their might with much sweat or with much stress”. However, the way God wants us to “seek” (verse 33) is the Greek word zeteo, which means “to hunger, to desire to worship”. It is simply a hungering, desiring the kingdom of God, without any labor or toil.
Can you see what Jesus is revealing to you?
He is saying the provision of God is not something that you compete for, strive for, wake up early and stay up late for – it comes by worshipping, knowing and resting in God’s love for you.
As you simply carry a consciousness that you are loved by God and you put Him first always in your life – where God is your first thought, not an after-thought, you will always see God’s provision showing up in your life!