-Psalm 42:1
Recently I finished reading "The Pursuit of God" by A.W Tozer, which is a really good book you should read. The book really challenged me to think about what I pursue. So what is pursuit? Dictionary.com says that pursuit means "an effort to secure or attain". This may seem obvious, but there are some special things about pursuit that I want to write about.
The word pursue has a similar meaning to the word look. The look for something and to pursue something pretty much both mean to make an effort to find something. However, there are some key connotative differences. People will use "to look for" when they are talking about something they lost. If I lost my keys, I would explain that I am looking for my keys. The word pursue is used at different times for different. First of all, the word pursue is not used very often. Secondly, the word pursue is often used when someone is trying to attain something that is not lost but rather is difficult to obtain.
Let me explain what I mean further. When a team of policemen are chasing a criminal, they are pursuing the criminal. The are not looking for him. The policemen know what they are going after, but it is difficult to get it. The declaration of independence has the famous phrase "the pursuit of happiness". Everyone pretty much knows what happiness is, but happiness is something that is very difficult to acquire. In both examples, the pursuit takes effort and motivation. One does not pursue something they do not want or care for. A policeman pursues a criminal because he knows that catching that criminal will make people safe. A person would pursue after happiness because everyone has experienced happiness and wants more of it.
Pursuit after something is not easy. It takes time, effort, energy, and care. Also, if you choose to pursue something, it can change the way you live. Actually, it should change the way you live. True pursuit is all consuming, and has a purpose. You should know exactly what you are pursuing and why. I've heard and I personally believe that everyone in their hearts are pursuing happiness. Everybody wants to be happy. How people pursue that happiness differs greatly. Some people pursue it through having a good job, wife kids, others pursue it through pleasure, among other things.
The only way to have happiness though is to pursue after the only one who can satisfy, God. God is happy in Himself, and since we were made in His image, we are happy in Him also. This pursuit, like many others, will change your life and direct your life. It will also take your entire life. This may seem odd, why pursue after something that cannot be reached? If I am thirsty, I could go to a clean river and drink some water. I could continue to drink as long as I wanted, but I could never truly drink or experience the complete river. Similarly, when we pursue after God, He will satisfy our thirst, but we can never truly experience the wholeness of God. When we do pursue after Him, "whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst. (John 4:14)".
-Smart
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