Desires of Our Hearts

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4, ESV).

We all have dreams. We all have desires of our hearts that the Lord has yet to fulfill. Maybe it’s for a spouse and a family, for a specific job, or for a tangible sign from a loved one that’s gone before us. The list is infinite, and different for everyone, but I want to remind you of this today: 

Every good desire of our hearts comes from the Lord.

I am learning that all too often the plan I have created in my own heart is far from what God actually has in mind for me. Being a follower of Jesus is not about getting to know ourselves more, but coming to know His character, and thus, His love for us. The deeper our knowledge of Christ, the more the desires of our hearts will actually align with what He wants for us.

Psalm 37: 4 says: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

I remember hearing this verse a lot when I was younger, but I only remember hearing the last part. Folks would quote this scripture as they promised others that whatever desire they had would, without question, eventually come to pass. As I’ve matured in my walk with Christ, I’ve learned what it looks like to hold ever so tightly instead to the first component of this Scripture.

What does it look like to delight ourselves in the Lord? 

Choosing to exchange our own desires and dreams for living a life surrendered to Jesus is what ultimately leads to a life of fulfillment. When we choose to make Jesus the King of our lives, we can begin to spend time in the Word and we come to know more about who He is, and how much He loves us. Only then will the second part of the scripture make sense.

Our hearts are deceitful above all else, so who are we to lean into our own desires if we are not first delighting ourselves in the Lord? I can say, with confidence, had God granted me what I thought I wanted years ago, I wouldn’t be living the abundant life I have now. 

James 1:17 reminds us that our Father in heaven does not change like shifting shadows, or said another way, He does not change like our deceitful hearts:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Spend some time today in gratitude. Pause to reflect and remember all the ways the Lord has been protecting you from what you thought you knew, and what you thought you wanted. I’m not saying He will remove those desires, but instead, He will give you a heart that seeks to delight in Him above all else. And when we do that, we will find a joy and peace that surpasses all understanding.