“Give careful thought to your ways….You have expected much, but see, it turned out to be little….Why?…Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.” (Haggai 1:7, 9)

As I read these verses this morning, I wondered just how often we end up going our own way in our own strength, forgetting what our top priority should be — focusing on and obeying our loving heavenly Father – and thereby end up missing out on a lot of beautiful things. “Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.” (Haggai 2:18, 19) How often do we cause our Father – whose desire is to bless and care for us as we follow Him – pain by choosing to walk in our own strength?

It is a difficult thought, because I know I have done that very thing myself; I have allowed myself to get too “busy with my house” (my day-to-day life), and have forgotten about the bigger picture, the most important things. And whenever I have forgotten what my priorities are and forgotten the One I am passionate about, nothing seems to go right: Nothing blossoms or blooms or comes to fruition except hurt and frustration. But our Father wants us to live with so much more: “From this day on, I will bless you” (Haggai 2:19). He wants us to live for so much more than ourselves and our plans; but until we start doing things His way and in His strength, making Him our number one priority and passion, we won’t bear any fruit. And so, “Give careful thought to your ways,” and do not forget who your first Love should be: the One who first loved you.