Desires

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

Psalm 37:4

The above verse has been a close companion for the past ten years or so. I have claimed the promise in the second part of the verse time and time again as I strive to delight myself in the Lord.  He has fulfilled that promise many times; providing many of the opportunities that I desired. 

Over the years this verse has taken on new meanings for me. At one point I realized that not only does God give us the desires of our heart, but as we delight (ie, spend time with Him, get to know Him better, seek His ways, obey His commandments, love what He loves, etc.) in Him, He actually puts desires in our hearts and then gives them to us! As we love Him and seek His face, our heart changes. Our desires change to be more aligned with His desires for us. 

Recently, this verse has been in the forefront of my mind. But for a little different reason. You see, I have a desire (yes, I have more than one, but I'm talking about one in particular) in my heart. It's a good desire. But it is a desire that God has not yet given to me. I find myself now evaluating my heart. 

Am I truly delighting 100% in the Lord? Am I seeking His desires or my own made up desires? Am I okay if the Lord never gives me this desire? Am I willing to give up this desire to bring God glory? Am I willing to accept and desire what He desires? 

A friend and I were talking about this the other day. We know that God directs our steps if we follow Him. At times though, it seems tough to distinguish between our heart's desires and what God is actually trying to teach, show and direct us. I think it always comes back to the first part of this verse. It does not say that when God gives us our desires, we will love Him for that and in return delight in Him. No, we are to first and foremost, delight in Him!

I am confident that as I delight in the Lord, He will make my path clear. It may not be tonight or tomorrow or even this year. But He will continue to guide and direct my steps. And if I delight in Him completely, I will understand what the true desires of my heart are because He will have given them to me. And will be able to let go of my selfish desires for His glory!