Desire

Desire. For some reason, the word "desire" has been musing around in my mind for a few days. I have found myself contemplating my personal desires, the inner desires of my heart, and even the desires of those around me.

I looked up the word desire in the dictionary. Websters says this about desire :

Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
de·sired; de·sir·ing
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French desirer, from Latin desiderare, from de- + sider-, sidus heavenly body
Date:
13th century
transitive verb

1: to long or hope for : exhibit or feel desire for <desire success>

2 a: to express a wish for

b archaic : to express a wish to

intransitive verb: to have or feel desire

As I have been thinking about desires, I have noticed that my own desires have gone through many transitions as I have aged, or maybe as I have grown spiritually. ?

When I was younger, my desire was to get married, have children, have my own home.

As this desire was met, my desires changed - desires that my children would sleep well, stay healthy, obey. That my husband would give them a bath that night, that I could sleep in.

You know the story...and every season of my life, the desires went along.

As I approach middle age, I still have desires for my children (although grown) and my husband but the inner desires of my heart are different. I desire peace and health. I desire the ability to hear and discern God's guidance and wisdom. It is my desire to glorify God, to be involved in life in such a way that He is honored. My desire is that my behavior and attitude in my relationships...husband, children, family, and friends, all reflect His love. It is my desire that God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness be evident in my life.

My thoughts and prayers have centered around these thoughts for some time; prompted by a time in my life when my desires were different than the ones listed above. Sin can be sneaky sometimes, and good desires can be twisted slowly into wrong desires. Before we know it, our motives are way off, our desire is for ourselves and not for God to be glorified in us.

Today, I am grateful that I have a God who never gives up on me. He continues to draw me to Him. One of my all time favorite Bible verses has new meaning to me today.

Delight yourself in the LORD

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

I fall short, yes. But I have a Redeemer. I sin, but I have a Savior. I am by nature, human. But I have the Holy Spirit. And NOTHING or NOBODY can take that away from me.

My desire is that I remember who gives me life, who gives me joy, and who gives me peace.

And He will give me the desires of my heart.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

(In Christ Alone by Keith Getty & Stuart Townsend)