What do you want? What are your desires? What are your plans? What do you want to be when you grow up? What are your intentions? How many times in our lives do others ask us these questions? Sometimes they are specific to an event, “Honey, what do you want to eat tonight?”. Sometimes it is a father of a young woman to her suitor, “What are your intentions?”. Other times people are curious about our life-goals.

Sometimes we have grand dreams. Maybe as a child or teen you had hoop dreams or grid iron dreams. Maybe you dreamed of a professional career in baseball, softball, or soccer. Maybe you planned to be President. Maybe you wanted to be a doctor. Maybe you planned a career in a technical trade. Maybe you wanted a large family. Maybe some of your dreams came true. Maybe you are still working on toward your goals. Maybe you feel as if you failed.

You are not where you planned to be. You have not brought home the Green Sport Coat from Augusta, you have not married, you lost your job that held all your hopes. Your career seems to be at a standstill, if not a dead end. What happened?

Doesn’t the psalmist say, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart”? (Psa 37:4) You delight in God, you are glad to be His child, you are a part of His family and involved in a local community of believers (a church), but you see your life going nowhere – fast. So you ask, “God, where are the desires of my heart?”

He has answered. He has told you. He already said what you need to hear. We just missed it. Look at the Psalm again, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give your the desires of your heart.” Did you see God’s answer?

I’ll give you a hint: If I delight in God, what are my true desires? That is His promise. Allow me to rephrase, “Desire God with all your heart and He will give you want you desire.” That is what the Psalmist is saying.

What is wonderful and amazing is what we discover, when we completely “delight ourselves in the Lord.” We find that what ever we do in life, whatever our station, whatever our current situation, we have God, we have Christ, we have the Spirit, we have more than enough, so we can be content. Paul explains, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Phil 4:11-13

– Scott