The desires of your heart

Desires. We all have them. But often times they either fall short of our expectations or we can't seem to achieve them.



I don't know about you, but sometimes I really struggle with the verse that says that God will give you the desires of your heart. I believe that all too often this verse has been taken out of context and used far too often to promote prosperity theology.



The entire verse in Psalm 37:4 is this:

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

There is a condition to our receiving the desires of our hearts. We have to delight ourselves in Him. Another version of this verse says to "Enjoy serving the LORD..." and yet another looks at the last half of the verse saying "the petitions of your heart."

So if the desire of my heart is to have more money shouldn't I expect God to give it to me. I love God, I read my Bible, I pray. Actually if I was really spending time reading my Bible I would find a verse that speaks to this desire, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." 1 Timothy 6:10.

As I grow in my understanding of God and in my faith, I am finding that it comes down to knowing God. I also understand that He can never be fully known this side of eternity. The reality is this though--if I am seeking to know God better and more deeply, He has promised to be found. (Deuteronomy 4:29) In finding Him I then begin to understand more clearly what He desires for me. It is in finding His desire for me that the desires of my own heart begin to change to reflect His.

This world measures success by power, prestige, money, etc... But being in God's Word and being obedient brings about success in God's eyes. (Joshua 1:8) As I spend time seeking, learning, and growing in my relationship with God I begin to delight and enjoy Him more. As this happens and as my will is submitted to Him I find that He does truly give me the desires of my heart. Partially this is due to the fact that my desires have changed. I no longer desire money or material things (though I still like nice things and don't mind a few extra bucks), but rather to be in His presence and filled with His Spirit. There is no greater joy.