The Desires of Your Heart

Context is very important to our understanding of God’s Word and His ways. But I repeatedly hear one promise quoted apart from its scriptural framework: "God said He would give me the desires of my heart, and so I’m trusting Him to do that." I would not dispute the Lord’s promise because He certainly did commit to blessing His children. However, believers must ready themselves to receive God’s blessings by doing some spiritual housekeeping.

A person’s capacity to desire is from God. Aspirations motivate people to hard work and achievement. Our yearnings can also inspire and energize us. Just think how boring life would be if we had nothing to work toward. The nature of one’s ambitions reveals that person’s character and sense of purpose. Furthermore, the way in which someone goes about fulfilling them says a lot about his or her understanding of God and His providence. Righteous desires are the result of a growing relationship with the Lord.

In today’s passage, believers are told what is required before they can lay claim to God’s promise of fulfilling their desires: they must delight in Him (v. 4), commit their ways to Him (v. 5), trust Him (v. 5), and rest in Him (v. 7). All of these spiritual activities are part of a maturing faith.

If we disregard the context of God’s promise, our hearts will be troubled rather than blessed. People get to fretting when their requests seem to go unnoticed. But believers can’t ignore scriptural directives. We must submit our desires to the Lord and patiently trust Him to fill them, if that is His will.

Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.

He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
8 Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.

Psalm 37: 1-8

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!

DAWN