Finding Peace in the Pauseنموونە

Your Desire

"Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; Be gracious and compassionate to me and answer me. When You said, 'Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],' my heart said to You, 'Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].'" Psalms 27:7-8 AMP

What we desire often becomes a greater need than our desire for intimacy with God. It becomes all-consuming and takes over our lives. We lose focus and begin meditating on that one thing, like the Bible.

I remember a season in my life when I was waiting for the outcome of a job application. I would check my email at least ten times daily, even outside working hours, hoping for a miraculous response at midnight. Nothing else seemed to matter at the time apart from this all-important email. I had prayed but was still preoccupied with thoughts of the possible outcomes. I had processed my plan B to Z and considered alternative routes. The more letters I added to my backup plan, the longer I waited. Then suddenly, I realized that I needed to control my desires and not be controlled by them and that my plan B to Z showed an absolute lack of faith and a profound absence of understanding the nature of God.

Our desire for Christ should supersede our desire for what we think we need so that we may receive what is truly necessary.

In scripture, God asks us to yearn for Him more than we yearn for what He can give us; He wants us to want His presence more than His presents. I've repeatedly learned that sometimes God uses our season of waiting to cause a factory reset of our focus and desires to help us get our priorities right.

So, be honest with yourself; what is your greatest desire right now?

Reflection:

Would you still love and trust God if He never gave you the desires of your heart?