Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Auburn Hills shared a recent gospel meditation encouraging a sincere life of service to God's kingdom.

Try though we may, we cannot achieve consistency, fairness, harmony and well-being in this world.

“Human life is still expendable and manipulated, people are used for personal advancement, countries are at war, the economy continues to face turbulence, anger and frustration are widespread, and happiness is the possession of just a few and not the many,” the reflection, published in the church's Oct. 4 bulletin, stated.

It is a possibility that we must entertain that we are not serving the right kingdom. 

When we serve the kingdom of God, we must be willing to offer up all that we hold dear to him and listen to the truth that he shares with us in Scripture. 

“Even those who consider themselves believers tend to sift through God’s Word, taking what seems to fit and apply and discarding the rest," the reflection said. "After all, if we were really serving God’s kingdom, we would see an abundance of fruit testifying to this fact." 

Followers of Christ as we claim to be, we must realize that our life is not our own and that this world is only a temporary place. We worry about accumulating possessions and living our life as we want to when in reality our lives are meant to be lived in devotion to God. 

“Still we grapple with ownership, privilege, status and the protection of our rights," the reflection said. "It’s all about us and what we want, think we need and expect to acquire." 

This shift in our focus will not bring us closer to God; rather, it will take us farther away. Instead of relying on our own understanding, let us lean on the Lord and the truth that he has given us: that if we walk in him we will not be led astray.