What Matters Most?
Sooner or later you will have to put God first in your life, that is to say, your own true spiritual development must become the only thing that really matters. It need not, perhaps had better not, be the only thing in your life, but it must be the first thing. When this happens you will find that you have got rid of a great deal of the unnecessary junk that most people carry about; mental junk, of course, although physical junk is very apt to follow upon this. You will find that you will do a great deal less running after things that do not matter and only waste your time and energy, when once you have put God first. Your life will become simpler and quieter, but in the true sense richer and infinitely more worthwhile.
—Emmet Fox,
Power Through Constructive Thinking
There comes a moment in every life when the heart must answer the deepest question: What matters most? Emmet Fox reminds us that sooner or later, the path of true peace and purpose begins with putting God first. This doesn’t mean abandoning all other responsibilities, but rather letting our relationship with God become the anchor that orders and centers everything else. When we prioritize our spiritual growth—our connection with the One who made and loves us—we begin to shed the clutter of lesser pursuits. Worry, comparison, and the frantic chase for meaning begin to fall away, and in their place comes a quiet clarity.
Putting God first doesn’t complicate life—it simplifies it. It doesn’t make us less engaged with the world, but more present and purposeful within it. The shift isn’t always dramatic, but it is transformative. Slowly, we stop running after things that never satisfy and find ourselves walking in step with the One who does. Our days may be quieter, but they become fuller, richer, and guided by a joy that no earthly thing can provide. As Jesus said, when we seek first the kingdom of God, all these things—what we truly need—are added unto us. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics