Day 28 ~ Desires of My Heart

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 is one of my favorite scriptures. My (baby) brother-in-law was the first person to quote this verse to me. And me, with my canal and selfish self, took the idea and ran with it. My thought process went something like, "all I have to do is delight myself in the Lord, and He will give me the desires of my heart?"
    
     "I'm with it!!!!" I remember thinking to myself.

      I would've been willing to do just about anything to have a promise of answer prayer for all of the tings that my heart desired. Shoot, I had a lot of desires...money, a big house (custom built), a successful career, monthly vacations, a phat bank account, and a wardrobe filled with C.oach and G.ucci purses.

     As I matured in my walk with the Lord, my understanding of this scripture changed. I no longer believed that the Lord was my "Genie" and all I had to do was "delight in Him" (rub His belly), then I could ask for anything that my heart desired and receive it. I decided what the scripture really meant was that those things that were "beyond" me (like my compassion for children and wanting to be a teacher) were the things that the Lord had placed inside of me. I decided that the things that I couldn't understand my yearning for, had been placed there by the Lord. So, He was GIVING me the desires that were in my heart. Each time I yearned and hungered to be through with school, so I could have my own classroom, the Lord was responsible for that feeling.

     It wasn't until recently, when my pastor preached a message on this scripture that I feel like I have FINALLY, truly understood the meaning...and I love this scripture even more now, than I did when I thought it was my "get prayers answered" button. LOL. What I now believe is that, if I "delight myself" (find joy, and happiness) in the Lord (and have faith and trust in His reasons for putting me on this earth), then He will give me the desires of my heart (meaning that what He desires for me, will become my desire as well. I won't be consumed by my own thoughts for my life, but will be interested only in doing the things that God would have me to do). Which makes total sense, since I was created to make God's praise glorious. And I was created for Him, although I often operate like He was created for me.

     Thank God that in the midst of Him holding the entire world in His hands, he is still available and willing to spend time with me, filling my heart, mind, and life with His perfect desires. I am a lucky girl!