How to Seek First the Kingdom of God: 7 Keys for Daily Life

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“But what about my mortgage?” I blurted out to my mentor when he suggested I take the overseas mission opportunity I’d been praying about for months. His response changed everything: “If you seek first His kingdom, do you really think He’ll forget about your house?” Learning how to seek first the kingdom of God isn’t just Sunday School theory—it’s a radical life reorientation that I’ve found both terrifying and exhilarating.

Have you ever noticed how easily your day gets hijacked by urgent but ultimately unimportant matters? The constant ping of notifications, the pressure of looming deadlines, the subtle competition of keeping up with others—all while the truly significant aspects of life get pushed to “someday.” Jesus’s command to prioritize God’s kingdom cuts through this chaos like nothing else, offering not an escape from reality but a completely different way of experiencing it. This principle transformed my frantic, achievement-driven existence into something with actual purpose and surprising peace.

Think of seeking God’s kingdom like learning a foreign language while living in another country—at first, it feels awkward and unnatural, but gradually it becomes your new normal, opening up conversations and connections you never imagined possible. Whether you’re struggling with overwhelming anxiety about tomorrow, feeling pulled in too many directions today, or simply sensing there must be more to life than your current experience, this ancient wisdom provides practical guidance for reorienting your entire life. Not by ignoring your responsibilities, but by finally understanding what they’re for.

1. Prioritize Daily Scripture Reading and Prayer

Have you ever noticed how quickly your phone battery drains when multiple apps are running in the background? That’s exactly what happens to our spiritual lives when we don’t recharge through God’s Word and prayer. Seeking first the kingdom of God begins with making these two practices non-negotiable parts of your daily routine—not out of obligation, but out of a genuine desire for connection.

When I first committed to consistent Bible reading, I’ll be honest: it felt like a chore. I’d set my alarm thirty minutes earlier, drag myself out of bed, and stare blankly at passages that seemed disconnected from my everyday challenges. But something shifted when I stopped approaching Scripture as a task to complete and instead began asking, “What is God trying to show me today?” The Bible transformed from an ancient text into a living conversation.

Jesus himself modeled this priority. Despite healing crowds until sunset, Mark 1:35 tells us, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” If the Son of God needed this connection, how much more do we? The Psalmist understood this when he wrote, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Start small if you need to. Even fifteen focused minutes can realign your entire day. Try reading just one chapter of Proverbs or one of Jesus’ parables, then spend time reflecting on how it applies to your current circumstances. Prayer doesn’t have to be eloquent—it’s simply honest conversation. Share your concerns, express gratitude, ask questions, and then pause to listen.

What I’ve discovered is that when Scripture and prayer become my first priority—before checking emails, scrolling social media, or diving into work—everything else mysteriously falls into better alignment. My reactions are more measured, my perspectives more eternal, my anxieties less overwhelming. As Jesus promised in Matthew 6:33, when we seek first His kingdom and righteousness, “all these things will be given to you as well.”

Make this your experiment for just one week: before your feet hit the floor, reach for God’s Word instead of your phone. Before you face the day’s demands, spend time in His presence. Watch how this simple priority shift gradually transforms your entire approach to life.

2. Cultivate Kingdom-Centered Relationships

“Mom, why do we spend so much time with church people?” my daughter once asked as we drove home from yet another small group gathering. Her innocent question stopped me in my tracks. Why indeed did we prioritize these relationships above others that might have seemed more naturally aligned with our interests or career goals?

The people you surround yourself with inevitably shape who you become. When seeking God’s kingdom first, the relationships you cultivate become either mighty winds in your spiritual sails or anchors dragging you toward worldly priorities. This isn’t about creating a spiritual bubble or avoiding non-believers—quite the opposite. It’s about intentionally building connections that sharpen your kingdom focus.

Solomon, known as the wisest man who ever lived, understood this principle well when he wrote, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). The early church demonstrated this beautifully in Acts 2:42-47, where believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship…breaking of bread and to prayer.” Their community was marked by generosity, worship, and genuine care for one another. The result? “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Kingdom-centered relationships aren’t just about spiritual conversations, though those are important. They’re about surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to live differently—friends who ask hard questions when your spending doesn’t align with kingdom values, mentors who encourage your spiritual gifts, and community members who remind you of God’s faithfulness when circumstances seem bleak.

My family discovered that those “church people” my daughter questioned became our strongest support system during a job loss that upended our security. While casual acquaintances offered sympathy, our kingdom-centered friends brought meals, helped with job connections, prayed specifically for our needs, and reminded us that our identity wasn’t in a paycheck but in Christ.

Consider taking inventory of your five closest relationships. Do these people encourage your spiritual growth or subtly pull you toward materialistic values and self-centered decisions? As Paul warned in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.'” This doesn’t mean abandoning friends, but it might mean being intentional about developing deeper relationships with those who share your kingdom priorities.

3. Practice Radical Generosity

The email arrived on a Tuesday afternoon—a friend’s desperate plea to cover unexpected medical expenses. My immediate thought wasn’t exactly kingdom-focused: “We just paid for car repairs, and our budget is already stretched thin.” I closed my laptop, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in my stomach. That evening, my husband and I revisited our conversation from Sunday’s sermon on generosity. With reluctant hearts but obedient spirits, we sent what we could afford—and then a bit more. What happened next transformed my understanding of seeking first God’s kingdom through generosity.

Radical generosity flies in the face of our culture’s obsession with accumulation and security. It’s not about random acts of kindness, though those are wonderful. It’s about systematically reorienting your view of possessions, money, and resources to align with this reality: everything belongs to God, and we are merely stewards. When we truly grasp this, generosity becomes less an occasional action and more an everyday posture.

Jesus addressed this directly in Luke 12:33-34 when He said, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Notice the connection—our hearts follow our resources. If we want hearts centered on God’s kingdom, our resources must point in that direction first.

The early church modeled this kingdom principle so radically that outsiders couldn’t help but notice. Acts 4:32-34 describes how “no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had…there were no needy persons among them.” Their generosity wasn’t a program but a lifestyle flowing from hearts captivated by God’s kingdom.

Start by examining your giving habits honestly. Do they reflect kingdom priorities or worldly security? Consider setting up automatic giving as your first financial action each month, not your last. Look beyond financial resources to your time, attention, hospitality, and talents. Could your home become a gathering place for those needing community? Could your professional skills serve a local ministry? Could your time benefit a neighbor struggling with loneliness?

Remember our story with the medical expenses? Two weeks later, an unexpected tax refund arrived—almost the exact amount we had given. While God doesn’t promise material returns on generosity, He does promise that generosity reshapes our hearts. As 2 Corinthians 9:11 reminds us, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.”

The most surprising outcome of practicing radical generosity isn’t what it does for others—though that’s significant. It’s what it does within us, gradually breaking money’s strange power and reorienting our trust toward God’s provision rather than our own resources.

4. Align Career and Life Decisions with Kingdom Values

The job offer landed in my inbox with everything I thought I wanted—prestigious title, substantial salary increase, and the corner office I’d been eyeing for years. On paper, it was perfect. Yet as I sat across from my mentor at our weekly coffee meeting, his simple question pierced through my excitement: “Does this align with where God is leading you?” That question launched me into a three-week journey of wrestling with what it truly means to seek first God’s kingdom in my professional decisions.

Many of us compartmentalize our lives—faith goes in the Sunday box, while career decisions remain firmly in the “practical realities” category. But seeking God’s kingdom first means allowing His values and purposes to inform every major life choice, especially those involving our careers, relationships, and lifestyle decisions.

Consider how Jesus approached the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-23. When asked about eternal life, Jesus immediately addressed the man’s wealth—not because money itself was problematic, but because it had become his primary allegiance. “You still lack one thing,” Jesus told him. “Sell everything you have and give to the poor…then come, follow me.” The man’s sorrowful response revealed that his possessions actually possessed him.

What would it look like if kingdom values like integrity, service, justice, and eternal impact became the primary filters for your major life decisions? Perhaps it means declining a promotion that would compromise family time or ethical standards. Maybe it involves choosing work that pays less but serves human flourishing. Or it could mean staying in a challenging position because God is using you to bring His light there.

For me, after much prayer and counsel, I declined that impressive job offer. I realized the position would consume my life in ways that would undermine my primary ministry with young professionals and my commitment to being present for my family. Instead, I accepted a lateral move that allowed me to mentor younger colleagues while maintaining work-life boundaries.

Colossians 3:23-24 provides powerful guidance: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” This perspective transforms even ordinary work into kingdom service.

Start by examining one upcoming decision through kingdom lenses. Ask: “How does this choice enable me to love God and others more effectively? Does it align with the values Jesus taught? Will it advance God’s purposes?” When we filter life’s big decisions through kingdom priorities, we often find clarity that worldly wisdom cannot provide.

5. Pursue Justice and Compassion

“It’s not my problem.” These words escaped my lips as I scrolled past yet another headline about homeless Veterans. My friend Sarah, sitting beside me at lunch, gently placed her hand on mine. “If we’re seeking first God’s kingdom,” she said, “then injustice is always our problem.” Her gentle rebuke transformed my understanding of what kingdom priorities really mean.

Jesus didn’t present the kingdom of God as a spiritual concept divorced from earthly realities. Throughout His ministry, He demonstrated that kingdom living means actively working for justice and showing compassion to those society marginalizes or ignores. When He announced His mission in Luke 4:18-19, He declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

This wasn’t metaphorical language. Jesus consistently touched the untouchables, elevated the overlooked, and challenged systems that crushed the vulnerable. Pursuing justice and compassion isn’t a progressive political agenda or a conservative moral crusade—it’s the heartbeat of God’s kingdom breaking into our broken world.

The prophet Micah summarized godly living with remarkable clarity: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Notice how justice and compassion (mercy) stand alongside walking with God—they’re inseparable aspects of kingdom living.

After Sarah’s gentle challenge, I began researching organizations supporting homeless veteran families. What started as a monthly donation evolved into volunteer work at a local homeless shelter for vets.

Start small if justice work feels overwhelming. James 1:27 reminds us that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” This might mean advocating for foster children in your community, supporting organizations fighting human trafficking, or examining your consumption habits to ensure they don’t perpetuate exploitation.

Seeking first God’s kingdom means allowing your heart to break for what breaks His, then moving beyond emotion into action. As Isaiah 1:17 challenges us: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” When we pursue justice and show compassion, we make the invisible kingdom visible in powerful ways.

6. Embrace Spiritual Disciplines

The alarm blared at 5:30 AM. I groaned, fumbling to silence it before it woke the baby. “This is ridiculous,” I thought. “Nobody needs to fast and pray at dawn.” Yet I had committed to this rhythmic practice with several friends, desperate for breakthrough in areas where our spiritual lives had grown stagnant. Six months later, standing in my kitchen journaling about the subtle but profound shifts in my awareness of God’s presence, I realized the ancient pathways of spiritual disciplines had reshaped my entire approach to seeking God’s kingdom.

Spiritual disciplines aren’t religious performances to earn God’s favor. Rather, they’re intentional practices that position us to experience God’s transforming presence. Like a sailor adjusting sails to catch the wind, disciplines help us align our lives to receive the power of God’s Spirit already moving around us.

Jesus modeled these practices throughout His ministry. Despite exhausting days of teaching and healing, He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Before choosing His disciples, “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). His forty-day fast in the wilderness prepared Him for ministry and temptation (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus didn’t need these practices to stay connected to the Father—He engaged them to show us the way.

Classical spiritual disciplines include prayer, fasting, solitude, silence, simplicity, study, worship, service, confession, and celebration. Each creates space for God to work in different areas of our hearts. As Paul instructed Timothy, “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

My early morning discipline began as a dutiful struggle but gradually became a cherished space where kingdom priorities realigned my scattered heart. During one fasting period, I realized how much emotional energy I invested in planning and thinking about food—energy now redirected toward prayer for others. Practicing simplicity by clearing my closet and limiting new purchases freed both resources and mental bandwidth for kingdom purposes.

Start with one discipline for a defined period. Perhaps commit to ten minutes of silence before God each morning for two weeks, or choose one day weekly for fasting from social media to redirect that attention toward prayer and Scripture. Richard Foster’s classic “Celebration of Discipline” or Ruth Haley Barton’s “Sacred Rhythms” offer accessible guidance for beginners.

When we embrace spiritual disciplines, we create consistent pathways to encounter God. As David wrote, “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). Disciplines help us fulfill this singular focus—seeking God’s presence as our primary pursuit.

7. Submit Daily Plans to God’s Leading

The calendar notification popped up on my screen: “Final project planning meeting—2:00 PM.” I had prepared meticulously, creating a presentation that would surely impress my colleagues and supervisor. But as I gathered my materials, an unexpected thought surfaced: “Visit Ellen instead.” Ellen, an elderly neighbor recovering from surgery, wasn’t on my agenda. The thought persisted as I walked toward the conference room. After a moment of internal struggle, I texted my team lead: “Emergency came up. Need to reschedule.” Three hours later, sitting beside Ellen’s hospital bed as she gripped my hand through a frightening complication, I understood why God had interrupted my carefully crafted plans.

Seeking first God’s kingdom means holding our agendas—even good, productive ones—with open hands. It requires the humility to acknowledge that God’s perspective exceeds our limited view, and His priorities might differ from the urgent matters filling our schedules. This isn’t about abandoning responsibility but about submitting our plans to a higher wisdom.

Proverbs 16:9 captures this tension perfectly: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” Notice the balance—we thoughtfully plan, but we remain flexible to God’s direction. Similarly, James challenges our presumptuous planning: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow… Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that'” (James 4:13-15).

This doesn’t mean living in perpetual uncertainty, paralyzed until you receive divine instruction for every minor decision. Rather, it means beginning each day by surrendering your plans to God and developing sensitivity to His redirections throughout the day. It means holding your schedule, resources, and energy as tools for kingdom purposes rather than personal accomplishment.

Start your morning with a simple prayer: “Lord, I surrender this day to You. Show me where You’re working so I can join You there. Interrupt my plans if needed.” Then watch attentively for divine appointments—the colleague who suddenly needs encouragement, the prompting to call someone who’s been on your mind, the opportunity to show kindness that wasn’t on your to-do list.

Jesus modeled this beautifully throughout His ministry. In John 5:19, He explained His approach: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” While traveling through Samaria, Jesus adjusted His journey to meet a woman at a well (John 4). While heading to heal an official’s daughter, He paused for a bleeding woman who touched His garment (Mark 5:21-43).

My impromptu hospital visit with Ellen didn’t derail my project—the team meeting happened successfully the next day. But that afternoon reminder that kingdom priorities sometimes supersede professional ones has shaped hundreds of decisions since. Submitting our daily plans to God’s leading isn’t about achieving less—it’s about aligning our productivity with eternal purposes.

Conclusion:

Seeking first the kingdom of God isn’t a one-time decision but a daily recommitment to viewing life through God’s perspective rather than our limited one. It’s about allowing His priorities to reshape our own—not just in religious activities but in how we approach relationships, work, money, and even our challenges. The beautiful paradox remains: when we stop clutching tightly to our own agendas and instead pursue God’s kingdom first, we often find that many of our deepest needs are met in unexpected ways.

Remember that this journey isn’t about perfection but progress. Each small choice to align with kingdom values creates momentum toward a life of greater purpose and peace. Perhaps the most compelling reason to seek first His kingdom isn’t just what we might receive, but who we become in the process—people whose lives increasingly reflect the character and priorities of the King Himself.