Oct 15, 2017
Our Heart’s Desires
Psalm 145:17-21
17 The LORD is righteous in all his
ways and kind in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to
all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them. 20 The LORD preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the
LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
If you could have anything in the
world, what would it be? Your answer reveals a lot about who you are. The
psalmist writes, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the
desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4). There is nothing wrong with desires--they
motivate us to achieve great things. But not all of our yearnings come from
God.
Consider your aspirations and what they
say about who you are:
Do you hope for a position of authority
in order to be in control? Longing for personal advancement in order to
manipulate others reveals a lack of integrity, whereas a godly person craves
righteousness.
Do you dream about wealth and fame?
Perhaps there's a void in your spirit that you're trying to fill. But only God
can meet the insatiable needs of the human heart.
Are you afraid to ask the Lord for what
you want? Maybe you think He won't listen, but God tells us to approach His
throne with boldness and confidence (Heb. 4:16).
If the Lord doesn't respond
affirmatively to your prayers, ask Him to make your desires conform to His
will. Whatever you do, don't take matters into your own hands and go after what
you want. There is always a high price to pay for rebelling against God.
God cares for us bountifully, but that
doesn't mean we can expect Him to deliver whatever we want, whenever we want
it. Only when our dreams align with His plan for our lives does He fulfill
them. The thoughts that preoccupy us are an accurate barometer of the state of
our relationship with Christ.