DELIGHT

DELIGHT yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the DESIRES of your heart – Psalm 37:4

We continue meditating on the word ‘DESIRE’ and its companion ‘DELIGHT’! God warns us against misguided desires or sinful passions that can lead to disappointment, emptiness, pain, and even death (Pro.14:12). He exhorts that we deny worldly passions which can cause severe damage (Tit.2:11-12). But we cannot overcome such lusts on our own. Submitting to God’s Spirit is the only way to live righteously. Wise believers let the Father direct their desires, and then they adjust their mind-set accordingly. The Lord promises to grant the desires of your heart, but you have responsibilities when it comes to claiming His promises. Verses 4 through 7 of Psalm 37 describe these:

• DELIGHT yourself in the Lord (v.4): you must delight and rejoice in God and choose to walk in obedience. If you desire to get blessed God’s Way, the Lord and His Word must have first place in your life before you can claim the promise of having your desires fulfilled.

• COMMIT your way to the Lord (v.5): bring God into your intentions and plans; give Him room to adjust any aspect of your ambition that is not His will; be willing to accept His Will and Vision in place of your carnal lusts or worldly desires. When He doesn’t answer a prayer exactly as you wished, know that it is for a reason and for your good. He can turn a bad situation into something good (Rom.8:28).

• TRUST in Him (v.5): God is omniscient, all-knowing, compassionate, generous, kind, and merciful. You can trust Him with your hopes and dreams. He exhorts you to trust much more than you do any mortal being: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but her leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” (Jer.17:7-8).

• REST in Him (v.7): Resting in the Lord means trusting Him to answer prayers in His Way and timing; allowing Him to transform your aspirations so they conform to His will. The Lord knows what we really desire and what we need, even when our hazy judgement leads us astray.

• WAIT upon the Lord (v.7): patiently trust and serve the Lord until your change comes. Waiting – purposeful, not passive – is one of the key principles of Christian living. It implies an attitude of confident assurance, steadfast hope, and willing obedience; maintain a positive attitude to God’s promises and dealings (Isa.40:31).  

God can save you from worldly desires, but you must be willing to commit yourself to Him and trust that His response is the best for you. Do your desires align with God’s Purpose and Plan for your life? The Lord longs to give His children abundant blessings and fullness of joy: “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly…Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (Jh.10:10b; 16:24). When you put your life wholly in the Father’s hands, you can claim the wonderful promises He has for you and then rest in His grace. Submit to Him in the place of Prayer and the Word, allowing your dreams to be conformed to the Lord’s Will, and follow His guidance faithfully. Only as you surrender to Him will you experience and enjoy God’s greatest and best for your life.