Growing Your FaithSample

Your Heart’s Desire

When God gives you a “no,” give Him a “thank you.” He was protecting you from less than His best. — Anonymous 

Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV) This is a verse that is often misquoted. We often focus on the last half of it that says God will give us our heart’s desire, but we forget the first part—delighting in God. 

Every day of our lives we have desires and wants that go against God’s best. Many are unwise and unsafe and yet we still desire them. We can’t say, “God’s going to give me my desires!” especially when the desires are evil, harmful, or selfish. That’s not the promise God has made to us. 

When we truly delight in God, we are focusing on His best plans instead of ours. The action of delighting in Him molds our desires to be ones that God wants to give us. When we delight in Him, then He joyfully wants to give us the “desires of our hearts” because more than likely, they line up with His. 

You see, God’s plans and desires far surpass anything we could come up with. We may think that our ideas are really amazing, but when we line them up with what God has in store for us, we’d be blown away at the amount of goodness that He intended for His children. 

Do you know what it means to delight in God? To truly find your whole being in knowing Him and following Him? It’s not just enjoying His blessings and the gifts He gives us but it’s in delighting in Him and who He is. When we do, our desires are shaped by His influence. 

Reflect

Have you ever wondered why God won’t give you the some of the desires you have in your heart? Spend some time praying and asking God if your desires are lining up with His best plans for your life.