Putting God first can change our lives, and the Bible teaches why this matters. Today, we’ll learn how to prioritize our faith and let God lead in every part of our journey.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Being A Servant
What Does The Bible Say About Putting God First
Matthew 6:33
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of prioritizing God and His righteousness above all else. When we make God our top priority, seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, He promises to provide for our needs.
Putting God first means aligning our desires, actions, and decisions with His will. By seeking His kingdom, we acknowledge that He is the rightful ruler over our lives and submit to His authority.
Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Submitting to God in all areas of our lives is an essential aspect of putting Him first. When we surrender our plans and desires to Him, He guides our steps and directs us in the right path.
Putting God first requires us to trust His wisdom and follow His lead. It is a daily choice to submit to His authority and seek His guidance in every decision we make.
Joshua 24:15
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
This verse highlights the importance of making a conscious decision to serve the Lord and put Him first. We have the freedom to choose whom we will serve, but as believers, we are called to prioritize God in our lives.
Putting God first is not always the easiest or most popular choice, but we must make a firm commitment to follow Him, regardless of what others may choose.
Matthew 22:37-38
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”
To put God first, we are called to love Him with our entire being – with our hearts, souls, and minds. This means that our love for God should surpass any other love or attachment in our lives.
Putting God first involves giving Him our wholehearted devotion and sincere affection, cultivating a deep and intimate relationship with Him.
Deuteronomy 6:5
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Similar to the previous verse, this passage reiterates the command to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. Putting God first requires giving Him our utmost devotion and dedicating all our inner and outer resources to Him.
By loving God with our entire being, we demonstrate our commitment to prioritize Him above all else.
Psalm 37:4
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Putting God first means finding our joy and satisfaction in Him alone. When we delight in the Lord, focusing on His presence and seeking to please Him, He blesses us by fulfilling the desires of our hearts, aligning them with His will.
By making God our source of delight and fulfillment, we acknowledge that He is the ultimate source of all good things in our lives.
Colossians 3:16
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Putting God first involves saturating our minds and hearts with the truth of His Word. By allowing the message of Christ to dwell richly in us, we are equipped to teach, encourage, and worship one another.
Singing songs of praise and expressing gratitude to God helps cultivate a heart that consistently acknowledges His greatness and places Him at the center of our lives.
1 Corinthians 10:31
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Putting God first means living every aspect of our lives for His glory. Whether in our everyday tasks, decisions, or relationships, we should have the ultimate goal of honoring and bringing glory to God.
By constantly seeking to align our actions with His will, we demonstrate our commitment to prioritize His honor above our own desires and ambitions.
Psalm 105:4
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
Putting God first involves continually seeking His presence and strength. By fixing our gaze on Him, we acknowledge our dependence on Him and invite Him to be actively involved in every aspect of our lives.
Seeking His face always means striving to maintain a close and intimate relationship with Him, recognizing that He is the true source of strength and guidance.
Hebrews 12:2
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Putting God first involves keeping our focus on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Just as He endured the cross for the joy set before Him, we are called to endure challenges and difficulties, knowing that our ultimate reward awaits us in His presence.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus helps us navigate through life with unwavering faith, surrendering our own desires and trusting in His perfect plan.
Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Putting God first involves offering ourselves as living sacrifices, surrendering our whole beings to Him. This act of self-denial and consecration is our genuine worship to God.
By renewing our minds according to His Word and resisting conformity to the world’s standards, we position ourselves to discern and embrace God’s perfect will for our lives.
Matthew 10:37-39
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
Putting God first requires prioritizing Him above even our closest relationships. Loving Him supremely means being willing to sacrifice our own desires and ambitions for the sake of following Him.
When we willingly lay down our lives for Christ’s sake, surrendering our own plans and ambitions, we discover the abundant and fulfilling life that can only be found in Him.
Psalm 37:5
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:”
Putting God first involves entrusting our paths and plans to Him completely. When we commit our ways to the Lord, surrendering our control and placing our trust in Him, He promises to guide and fulfill His purposes in our lives.
Trusting in God’s faithfulness and sovereignty allows us to release our anxieties and seek His will above our own understanding.
Psalm 141:8
“But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.”
Putting God first means making Him our refuge and source of security. By fixing our eyes on Him, even in the midst of trials and challenges, we demonstrate our unwavering trust and reliance on His unfailing love and protection.
Seeking refuge in God allows us to find peace, strength, and hope, knowing that He is with us and will guide us through every circumstance we face.
Psalm 16:8
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Putting God first involves keeping our focus on Him continually. By keeping our eyes fixed on the Lord, acknowledging His presence and guidance, we gain confidence and assurance that He is in control.
When we prioritize God, we find stability and security, knowing that nothing can shake us as long as we remain in His presence.
Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Putting God first requires cultivating a heart of stillness and patience before Him. In a world filled with injustice and wickedness, we are called to trust that God is ultimately in control and will bring about justice in His perfect timing.
Choosing not to fret or be envious of the success of the wicked allows us to maintain a peace that surpasses understanding, knowing that our hope is firmly rooted in God alone.
Psalm 37:23
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”
Putting God first involves finding delight in Him and allowing Him to direct our paths. When we thoroughly enjoy and take pleasure in the Lord, He guides our steps, ensuring that we walk in His perfect will.
Delighting in God means making Him the source of our joy and satisfaction, acknowledging His wisdom and goodness in orchestrating our lives.
James 4:8
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Putting God first requires drawing near to Him with a sincere and repentant heart. When we take intentional steps to approach God, seeking His presence and confessing our sins, He promises to draw close to us.
By purifying our hearts, turning away from double-mindedness and worldly desires, we create a space for God to work in and through us, amplifying our ability to put Him first in our lives.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Putting God first requires quieting our hearts and recognizing His sovereignty. When we intentionally still ourselves before Him, acknowledging His supreme authority, we cultivate a deep reverence and awe for Him.
Knowing that God is exalted above all nations and the entire earth, we surrender our pride and submit to His lordship, allowing Him to take His rightful place in our lives.
Psalm 62:1
“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.”
Putting God first involves finding genuine rest and peace in Him alone. When we recognize that our salvation and ultimate security come from God, we release our anxieties and trust in His unfailing love.
Surrendering our striving and self-reliance, we allow God to be our refuge and source of comfort, finding true rest for our souls in His presence.
Psalm 100:2
“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”
Putting God first means expressing our worship and gratitude to Him with gladness and joy. By approaching Him with songs of praise and thanksgiving, we declare His worthiness and acknowledge His goodness.
Worshipping God with a glad heart is an outward expression of our inner conviction that He is deserving of our highest devotion and praise.
Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Putting God first involves entrusting our worries and concerns to Him through prayer and supplication. By presenting our requests and needs to God, with a heart overflowing with gratitude, we invite His peace to reign in our lives.
Trusting in the peace that surpasses all understanding, we are reassured of God’s faithfulness and provision in every circumstance we face.
Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Putting God first requires anchoring our lives in His Word. The Scriptures serve as a guiding light, illuminating our path and helping us make godly decisions.
By consistently immersing ourselves in the truth of God’s Word, we position ourselves to align our lives with His will, continually seeking to put Him first in all areas.