Treasure Hunts: Putting other things before God

career faith mental health relationships Mar 23, 2024

Treasure Hunts, treasure chest full of golden easter eggs

8 minute read
By Bethany Rees

Happy Palm Sunday (and Early Easter)!

One of our favorite things to do for Easter is the fun and treasure-filled Easter Egg Hunt.

All the kids (and even some adults) race to find the eggs filled with treasures of candy, toys, and money. While seeking the eggs may be fun, the best part is the sugar filled treasure inside.

Hunting Easter eggs is a fun tradition in our families and communities, but I’m coming to realize that “the hunt” for treasure doesn’t start and stop during the Easter celebration. People continue their hunt for treasure not only throughout the year, but throughout their entire lives.

The more time I spend with people, the more I’m noticing people’s (and my own) constant search for life’s treasure chest that contains the most valuable and priceless “eggs” of life.

These “eggs” are the most basic desires a human has and we are constantly searching for them. We want to feel, experience, and know the treasures of:

Love - affection and devotion
Intimacy - close to and fully known by
Security - cared for so we are free from danger or threats
Peace - calmness and tranquility
Contentment - satisfaction

We are constantly hunting for these eggs and we look for them in places like: relationships, careers, social status, and bank accounts.

While many people are finding the eggs they are hunting, they are not finding the treasure inside. Thus, they continue searching in the same places, but are never finding the treasure they hoped for.

Love, intimacy, security, peace, and contentment are NOT found in relationships, careers, social status, and bank accounts.

The source of these life treasures are found only in Jesus Christ.

He is the spring well through which these treasures flow into you so that they can then be cascaded into all the areas of your life.

Love

We were not created to be alone, but to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We were made for connection and there is no greater connection than that of love.

We are essentially born with a hole in our hearts that creates an innate desire for it to be filled. We know that only love can fill that hole and make us feel complete and valued…so we search for the missing piece to our hearts.

And we look everywhere!

We try to fit love of various types into that hole so we feel complete. We try physical (eros) love, friendly (philia) love, and obsessive (mania) love, but these loves come and go and never satisfy our innate desire.

This is because the only love that can fill the hole in our heart is God’s unconditional and sacrificial (AGAPE) love.

Love, deep real AGAPE love, was created by God and is the only thing that fulfills the desire of our heart for wholeness. And this is because it comes from our creator and not the shifting emotions of humans or the lifeless form of things. It is not situational and stained with selfishness. It is for us and is meant to complete us. God’s AGAPE love is unconditional:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” ~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

God’s AGAPE love is sacrificial love. There is nothing He won’t do to save us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~ Romans 5:8

Read these verses again and ask yourself if experiencing the love described above isn’t your greatest desire from the very core of your being.

You no longer need to hunt “eggs” hoping to find love inside.

It is easily found in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ by experiencing His Holy Spirit. You don’t have to seek it or earn it. You just need to receive it.

Intimacy

We all desire to be fully known: to have someone know every flaw, every scar, every sin…and AGAPE love us anyway.

Yet we hide our flaws, our scars, and our sin. We tuck in our ugly, put on our “spanks,” and pretend to be something we are not so that people will love us.

When you are not truly known and authentic, you struggle with your identity. You are essentially lost to knowing who you really are.

So you seek affirmation and validation from people or things that help build up the concept of who you are. But this kind of identity is made of smoke and mirrors where there is no substance. God, your creator knows you!

“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.” ~Psalm 139:1

While you have always been known by God, you don’t feel known until you openly reveal your true self (ugly parts and all) and your need for Jesus.

When you become FULLY KNOWN, FORGIVEN, and LOVED ANYWAY, you develop an intimate relationship like you’ve never experienced. If you do not have, but want to have a personal relationship with Jesus, simply pray and reveal your true self and your need for Him. Below is a prayer you can pray.

Dear Jesus,

I am a sinner and you know everything about me, yet you love me anyway. You died on the cross for my sins so I can live free from condemnation. I want you as my Lord and Savior. While you already know me, grow my heart and mind to know you better. Thank you for your unconditional love and forgiveness. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

By confessing your sin to God and allowing Jesus to be Lord over your life, you experience freedom like you have never felt before. You are free to come out of hiding to be fully exposed, fully known, and yet fully loved anyway.

If you want freedom from your sin, your hurts, your past, your regrets, your performance, your facades, and the pressures of this world…then accept what is freely given to you: Accept the love, forgiveness, and intimacy of Jesus.

Security

We all want to feel safe and cared for so we don't have to worry about danger or threats. We seek being in control so we are assured of security. Yet seeking control has us constantly taking a fighting stance to defend it. We fight for more attention, more money, more things to surround ourselves with, and more freedom from people telling us what to do.

We fight for control because control gives us a false sense of security.

Always fighting leaves us always feeling tense, aggravated, and exhausted. But we don’t have to live this way.

God is fighting for us. He is our provider and our defender. So rest in the security of our loving Father.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:38-39

“For the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.” ~Proverbs 3:26

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” ~ Matthew 6:28-33

Remind yourself that God is your provider, and let the anxiety, fear, and control go. Be secure in Christ.

Peace

“I just need a moment of peace,” said every adult ever.

After searching for love, hoping for intimacy, and fighting for security we just want a place to rest our weary heads to find peace.

We look to food, booze, and mindless activities like binge-watching tv or endlessly scrolling social media, yet it doesn’t deliver the sense of inner peace we long for.

Peace and rest can only be found in Jesus.

“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.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33

Remember that a relationship with Jesus doesn’t mean that the storms and chaos will stop. The world is full of storms and chaos, but with Jesus you can have peace and joy amongst them.

Contentment

Can you fill in the blanks to this sentence? “If I only had ___, then I could ___.”

I know I can because I’ve said this sentence many times before. I even blogged about it in my post called Don’t Chase the Blank.

When we continually chase “the blank,” we never have contentment or satisfaction.

That is the joy of having a relationship with Jesus. Once you know Him, He is always enough. No matter the circumstance, He fills us.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9–10

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” ~ Philippians 4:11–12

Stop chasing the blank, and find inner satisfaction with the one who will always fill you: Jesus.

Treasure is never found in worldly possessions or people, it can only be found in Jesus. So stop hunting treasure within worldly “eggs” and find eternal treasure in Jesus.

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. Find Your Treasure in Jesus.

Rocks before Sand!

Scripture:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

~ Matthew 6:19-21

Theme Song:

Jesus, My Treasure - Canyon Hills Worship (Lyrics)

References Used:

Let's Connect

Together, we build a life that focuses on the essential rocks

We hate SPAM. We will never share or sell your information, for any reason.