Two Sides of the Same Coin
The art of seeking
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” – Matthew 6:33
What are we seeking first in our lives?
- What are we seeking?
Matthew 6:5-18
Two sides of the same coin – “Two sides of the same coin” captures Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6: the same spiritual practices—prayer and fasting—can be driven by two very different motives, seeking the approval of people or the reward of the Father.
Reward from man
The reward from man is a temporary and exhausting pursuit that seeks identity, fulfillment, and approval from people rather than God, ultimately leaving the soul unsatisfied and weakening genuine faith.
Colossians 3:23-24
Reward from God
The reward from God is found in the secret place, where authenticity replaces performance and spiritual practices become pathways to deeper intimacy with the Father who sees, knows, and satisfies the soul.
- What side of the coin do you think your heart sits right now?
- Do I truly believe the Father who sees in secret is enough for me?
- Am I comfortable being unseen, unknown, and uncelebrated if Christ is glorified?
- How do we seek?
Prayer and fasting are not ways to earn God’s approval but God-given practices that reorient our hearts from lesser rewards to deeper devotion, intimacy, and identity in Christ.
Matthew 4:1-11:
Jesus’ wilderness temptation shows that true spiritual strength flows from a secure identity in the Father, not from striving to prove ourselves. In the same way, prayer cultivates intimacy with God and fasting cultivates dependence on Him, helping us realign our hearts, remember who we are in Christ, and find our deepest satisfaction in Jesus alone.
“Ultimately we fast simply because we want God more than we want anything this world has to offer us.” – Tim Keller
- What does this mean for us?
The common challenges we face when we try to seek the Lord:
a) Self-Suffiency
- b) Comfort and Convenience
- c) Unbelief
- d) Shame and Condemnation
- e) Misplaced Identity
Augustine realised that after searching for fulfillment in all the wrong places, God had been near all along, waiting to be found. In the same way, Jesus invites us into the secret place through prayer and fasting—not to earn God’s approval, but to rediscover that our deepest satisfaction, identity, and purpose are found in communion with the Father who has always been calling us home.
The reward is not ultimately recognition, blessing, or even answered prayer. The reward is God Himself.
