Our desires fuel all we are: our thought patterns, ambitions, actions, even our motives. Our desires channel our focus in life and become the driving force of who, and what we are, and want to be. If focused on the right object, our desires can be the source of great strength, purpose and direction.
Yet, the desires of our heart may not be set on pleasing God at all times. When focused on the wrong things, our desires can darken our paths and spiral us down into an abyss of despair, confusion and insatiable pursuits. On occasion we can get the equation reversed and make pursuing the ungodly desires of our heart the objective, instead of pursuing a relationship with the God who is able to fulfill our desires.
The psalmist makes a bold guarantee on God’s behalf, if we delight in the LORD—find Him the greatest source of pleasure and satisfaction in our lives—He would give us the desires of our heart. That can be a tall order but when we make the LORD the true object of our desires we will discover all other desires are aligned with His desires also. We find joy in pursuing what gives God joy.
Perhaps our response to “the object of my desires” question wasn’t what we’d like it to be. God indeed gives us the desires of our heart, but sometimes He has to give us a different set of desires. God has this marvelous way of transforming hearts so the other desires of our heart diminish as we concentrate on giving our full attention to Him. What once seemed essential is no longer relevant. God’s desires for our lives become the object of our desires also.
Stay patiently steadfast in your focus on God. Moment by moment, find opportunities to delight in all He is. Ask Him to transform your desires to His desires and watch Him fulfill the deepest longings of your heart.
Lesson to Remember: Sometimes we don’t get what we want in life because we are wanting the wrong things.
“You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”—James 4:2-3
To the “Strengthened By This Week” (SBTW) Community, thank you for your continued support and encouragement over the past 2 1/2 years. We are grateful for the opportunity to share these messages with you each week. We are going to take a two week pause from publishing. We look forward to resuming these messages on Wednesday, August 23, 2017. Thank you and continued blessings! NH
