Will God Give You the Desires of Your Heart?

February 20, 2022

Delight in the Lord today

Will God Give You the Desires of Your Heart?

By: Brooke Holt

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” – Psalm 37:3-7

What lovely words to read from King David! We can picture David as the chosen king, trusting God and dwelling in the land filled with faithfulness and joy. David was the leader of Israel and the man after God’s heart. We may be inclined to think, “King David had it all!” Right? It would be nice to think so, but King David was a fallen, sinful person just like you and me. And still God called David, anointed him for that calling, and then led him through many trials and tribulations. Just like you, just like me!

Many people love to quote verse 4, saying that God “will give you the desires of your heart.” But they often forget to add the first part of the verse—the call to “delight yourself in the Lord.” When you delight yourself in the Lord, then God will give you the desires of your heart. Is that still true today? Can we trust the desires of our hearts? Can we trust that God knows those desires and cares about them?

Last week, the lectionary readings included these words from the prophet Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). These messages seem to be conflicting or at least confusing. So, let’s go back to David’s words: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:3). When you entrust yourself to the Lord each day, surrender to his love and his plans for you, when you make his law your ultimate delight and desire, then he can do something glorious in you. He can make his desires your desires. It doesn’t happen naturally; it only happens in seeking the Lord, knowing the Lord, reading his word, allowing the Holy Spirit to convict, and then obeying him. That is what it means to trust, dwell, befriend faithfulness, delight, commit, and wait patiently upon the Lord.

When you practice these spiritual disciplines, your heart will be renewed. Then, you will see him not only make his desires your desires but fulfill those desires in his perfect way and time.

Just as an earthly father loves to bless his children, so the heavenly Father loves to bless you and grant your desires. May you seek him today and allow him full access to your life. What good things await those who do!

Reflection:

How can you seek to know the Lord more today and allow him to shape your desires? Are there sins you need to confess? May the Spirit help you grow in deeper surrender, trust, and obedience to the Lord. He has such good things for you! We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resource:

Follow the ancient way of the Psalms and find the life God has for you. A model for vibrant worship, the Psalms provide practical wisdom to traverse the circuitous path of life with trust and hope. Pilgrim’s Path: A Study of the Psalms traces our spiritual walk with God—from discovery and delight, through doubt and disappointment, into joyful confidence. Whether used for individual or group study, Pilgrim’s Path is for everyone who seeks to know and love God more and find life in him.