The Desires Of Your Heart

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4, NIV)

Your God-given personality, inborn strengths, natural talents, and spiritual gifts are all clues that point you to the “sweet spot” of God’s true purpose for your life. The deepest desires of your heart are also likely indicators of the kinds of “good works” you are meant to do. Doesn’t it just make sense that God would gift you in ways that match up with his plans for you?

With your personal attributes in mind, consider three questions:

1. Do you feel overwhelmed right now?
2. Has the feeling of being overwhelmed persisted for a long time due to your ongoing obligations and commitments?
3. If those answers are yes, could it be that your lifestyle or occupation is out of sync with the way you’re made?

Matthew Henry, a British minister, wrote a Bible commentary in 1706. He said, “We must make God our heart’s delight and then we shall have our heart’s desire.” His words still counsel us wisely today. If you delight in the Lord, and you’re wondering if he has a different path in mind for you, then pay attention to your heart. What does your heart desire?

Reflecting on Psalm 37:4, Matthew Henry wrote:

“This pleasant duty of delighting in God has a promise annexed to it, which is very full and precious, enough to recompense the hardest services: He shall give thee the desires of thy heart. He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humours of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please him and to be pleased in him.”^a

The more you delight in the Lord, the more he delights in fulfilling your heart’s desires! You don’t have to hold back—you can pour out to the Lord the deepest desires of your heart. What brings you joy? What makes you “light up”? What do you want most? What are your most cherished dreams for your life? How do you hope to use your talents and gifts to further the kingdom of heaven? Put your present sense of being overwhelmed to work for you! Instead of letting it weigh you down, let your feelings of being overwhelmed motivate you to explore the desires of your heart and ponder all the attributes God has masterfully designed and put within you.

Questions to Ponder and Pray About

• What do your God-given attributes (personality, strengths, talents, spiritual gifts) and the desires of your heart make you think about?
• How do you think living more fully in the “sweet spot” of how God made you might impact your sense of being overwhelmed?
• What does this verse mean to you? Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4, NIV).