3. May 2026
Pursue the Giver Before the Gift
INTRODUCTION
It is easy to look ahead and long for what is to come:
the calling, the opportunity, the visible expression of what we feel stirring within.
We sense that something has been placed in us…
a gift, a talent, a quiet knowing.
And yet, before anything is released outwardly,
there is often a deeper invitation inward.
Not to compare,
not to feel the pressure to move ahead,
not to run before we can walk,
but to be shaped.
For the gifts of God are not only given,
they are refined.
Time taken can vary from person to person, season through sesson.
Poem
Pursue The Lord
Pursue The Lord
before you seek the gifts He gives.
Seek first righteousness;
the talents will follow.
Prepare yourself.
Learn the way of wisdom.
A talent used recklessly
becomes a sledgehammer of destruction.
So too is great wealth,
without restraint,
in the hands of a fool.
Do you seek Adonai
for your own pleasure,
to satisfy desire and hidden lust?
He sees every heart,
every thought,
every intention.
Wait patiently before Him.
Sit a while.
Be instructed.
Grow in wisdom,
for you have much to learn.
And when you are ready,
your talents shaped
by the fruit of righteousness,
He will send you forth
His representative,
His ambassador,
His emissary:
serving His purpose,
for His Kingdom,
in His world.
Scripture
“But seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
“Man looks at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
Reflection
It is tempting to measure ourselves by what is seen:
to compare, to feel the pressure to move ahead, or even to rush.
Yet God, in His wisdom, begins elsewhere on our journey.
He begins in the hidden place.
Before He entrusts what is visible,
He shapes what is unseen:
the heart, the motives, the character.
For a gift without wisdom can wound,
and influence without restraint can mislead.
The Lord is not withholding
He is preparing.
In the waiting, He teaches us to sit with Him,
to listen, to be corrected, to be refined.
Not everything delayed is denied;
much of it is being formed.
When we truly seek Him first,
our desires begin to change.
What we once chased, we now surrender.
What we once demanded, we now receive with humility.
And in time,
He releases what He has prepared us to carry
not for our glory,
but as those who bear His name well,
walking as quiet ambassadors of His Kingdom.
Selah. Pause. Consider
Where am I placing my pursuit right now;
on the Giver, or the gifts?
Have I been eager to step forward
before allowing God to shape what is within me?
Is there an area of my life
where wisdom is still developing…
but I have been tempted to move ahead anyway?
What might it look like
to sit a little longer in His presence:
not striving, not performing,
but simply being instructed?
Have my desires been surrendered to Him,
or subtly shaped around my own expectations?
Am I growing in the fruit of the Spirit,
as described in Galatians?
Is there evidence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control in my life?
If God were to entrust me with more today,
would my heart be ready to carry it well?
Sit with Him here.
There is no rush.
The One who calls you
is also the One who prepares you.
Looking Ahead
Next week, we will explore what it means to be released:
not ahead of time,
but in step with God’s timing.
When preparation meets purpose…
and what has been formed in the hidden place
begins to take shape in the light.
The Invitation
If this has spoken to your heart,
you may wish to explore The Seasons of Life:
A collection of poems, Scripture, short stories and reflections
for every season you may find yourself in.
Available now through The Dove Collection.
https://amzn.eu/d/02shh7fs
Also Available on INGRAMSPARK