I'm having trouble understanding Psalm 37:4 ("Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart"). Everyone always quotes that verse when I talk about wanting a husband or children, but I don't feel too sure. Obviously some of our desires don't ever get fulfilled because God doesn't give us everything we want. And what about situations where a godly desire goes unfulfilled? Like someone wanting to go into ministry and it doesn't happen, or a Christian couple wanting kids and not being able to have any? How are those things explained if the verse means that if you put God first, He'll give you the things that you desire?
desires of your heart
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C
I love that verse from Psalm and ive leaned on to it when i was in my teens when i fell in love with a guy who was not a Christian. I gave myself to God's ministry by trying to be faithful in all areas because my desire then was to be with that guy forever. But God knows whats in our hearts even if we do not know it ourselves. As in my case, the guy and i broke up after 5 yrs . Healed him (coz he was on drugs and i didnt know it then), became a Christian and gives his time serving God while we were not together anymore. Ive drawn more closer to God too while we were apart and well, the guy now became my husband. Never in my life have i thought that we will be together again coz ive given him up totally for God to work in his life.
So, with that verse in Psalm, i would also include the verse on Matthew 6:33 and 1 John 5:14.
Ive learned in my life When God answers prayer instantly, meaning its His will. If He says No or wait, then there are some things we still need to learn that teaches us to be patient and wait for His answer.
So, with that verse in Psalm, i would also include the verse on Matthew 6:33 and 1 John 5:14.
Ive learned in my life When God answers prayer instantly, meaning its His will. If He says No or wait, then there are some things we still need to learn that teaches us to be patient and wait for His answer.
S
My first thoughts on that line are this:
If you take delight in the Lord, then the Lord is your desire. So, if you desire the Lord and find joy in his presence, then he has given you all you need.
Maybe a Godly desire, as noble as it may seem to you or me, is not what God truly has in plan for us. I may desire to help the homeless downtown, which is truly Godly and noble, but perhaps God would rather have me serving him some other way which would explain why my attempts at homeless outreach aren't going along so well.
If you take delight in the Lord, then the Lord is your desire. So, if you desire the Lord and find joy in his presence, then he has given you all you need.
Maybe a Godly desire, as noble as it may seem to you or me, is not what God truly has in plan for us. I may desire to help the homeless downtown, which is truly Godly and noble, but perhaps God would rather have me serving him some other way which would explain why my attempts at homeless outreach aren't going along so well.
B
I think we have to be clear about what 'the desires of your heart' is really about. Here in this context, 'desire' and 'dream' can be taken as synonymous. When I was a boy, my dream was to become a soldier. When I was in high school, I dreamt of becoming a doctor. While in college, I wanted to become a great writer. Depending on what we've seen and heard, in accordance we the bigness and smallness of our individual world, our desires and dreams can be very different. In fact, our dreams and desires are based on our experience and how small our experience is. If David was given his boyhood's desires, he might have become a sheepherder. It was God's desire to make him the king. God always have a bigger plan for our lives which we may never dream of. It is always better and wise to trust in God and wait for His plans for our lives. To dream the kind of dreams God wants us to dream which is always the best for us, we need to have a renewed and transformed mind as Romans 12:2 requires us. Right now, the desires of our heart may not be fulfilled, all we have to do is to delight ourselves in the Lord. Even when our fondest dreams are broken, we must learn to say 'Thank you, Lord'. In so doing, slowly our minds and hearts will be transformed and we will begin to desire what God wants us to desire and what He has in store for us.
C
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence we have in Him, that, if we ask anything ACCORDING TO hIS WILL , He heareth us, And if we know that He hears us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
according to Gods will : a gracious limitation, because Gods will is always best for His children.
according to Gods will : a gracious limitation, because Gods will is always best for His children.
S
If you study out the word heart in that verse you'll see that it really means spirit, and if you read it that way it'll make a lot more sense. God gives us the desires of our spirits. The only thing our spirits desire are kingdom things, the things God desires. So if you getting married will advance the Kingdom and it's something God wants for you then that's a desire of your spirit. And if it is Gods desire for your life then of course it will come to pass. When? Who knows. Isaac waited 14 years for Rachel, Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac, time is not an issue with God.
Here's a paragraph from a devotional on the subject:
""He shall give you the desires of your heart." Your heart in this verse is your spirit. It is the part of you that was reborn when you accepted Christ and became a new creature in Him. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be "led by the spirit." So when we put this all together it says, that if we put away worldly goals and live a spirit-led life, then God will give us the desires of our heart (our spirit)."
Make sense? When I read this it really opened my eyes to things.
I also think God will put desires in your heart. Short testimony. I hit a deer with my car and it got wrote off. A true blessing in disguise, I didn't want a car and I got a nice check! Took the bus for a good few months and then suddenly I wanted a car. Just like that. I was so determined to live car free but God put the desire in my heart and led me to the right car for me. He'll do the same with a husband. Don't make it the most important thing. Paul says we're better off the be single anyways.
Here's a paragraph from a devotional on the subject:
""He shall give you the desires of your heart." Your heart in this verse is your spirit. It is the part of you that was reborn when you accepted Christ and became a new creature in Him. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be "led by the spirit." So when we put this all together it says, that if we put away worldly goals and live a spirit-led life, then God will give us the desires of our heart (our spirit)."
Make sense? When I read this it really opened my eyes to things.
I also think God will put desires in your heart. Short testimony. I hit a deer with my car and it got wrote off. A true blessing in disguise, I didn't want a car and I got a nice check! Took the bus for a good few months and then suddenly I wanted a car. Just like that. I was so determined to live car free but God put the desire in my heart and led me to the right car for me. He'll do the same with a husband. Don't make it the most important thing. Paul says we're better off the be single anyways.
A
The Lord has a way of giving you your hearts desires and touching you so deeply it changes you.
One time, I had been told by three doctors, that they thought I had leukemia.
It was a time in my life where I really reflected on my life and I talked a lot to God.
I found at the time that I was not afraid of death, but that I had some hearts desires that only God could provide before I would died.
One of course, was that my child would be in a place that would raise her knowing Jesus!
The second one was, believe it or not, winning big at the casino, I wanted to give away the money for Jesus!
The third thing was, I wanted to hold a wild sparrow!
Yes, a wild sparrow!
Well, about a week went by after this conversation with God, and I was at my parents house in their back yard talking to my mother, when this cat jumped on this wild sparrow. I ran over to the cat and saved the sparrow from the cat.
I picked up the bird and held it in my hands. I took and examined the bird for injuries. I pulled one wing out and felt for breaks, and then the other, no breaks!
I looked for blood, no blood!
I sat and loved on this bird for about 20mins., my mother was amazed!
There was nothing wrong with the bird!
After about 20mins. I went to put the bird up in a tree, I thought there is nothing wrong with you!
As I lifted my hand to place the bird in the tree, I looked up and the sun light hit me in the eyes, at that moment it hit me, the Lord answered my prayer!
I dropped to my knees and cried like a baby, it changed my life!
A
I just wanted to tell you about the casino!
One day the Lord spoke to me,
I was ministering to a young man and the Lord told me to take him to the casino!
Crazy, I know!
I had no money, so I asked him, if he did?
All the young man had was four dollars,
I asked him if he would give me the four dollars,
and told him that the Lord said, to go to the casino and play the four dollars!
The guy thought I was crazy, but he gave me the four dollars and we drove to the casino, which was 30mins away!
When we got to the casino, the young man stayed in the car and I went into the casino.
I walked right up to a machine I felt the Lord lead me too, and put in 3 quarters, as I put the three quarters in, and I began talking to a lady next to me playing on another machine.
I told her the story of the young man in the car, and how God told me to come to the casino, I asked her if she believed in God?
I then put the next three quarters in the machine, asking the woman one more time, if she believed in God, and then I pulled the spin and the bells start ringing!
Jack pot!
It was the first of many that night!
Each machine I went to I spoke to the person next to me, and asked if they believed in God! Each time after talking to the person next to me I would win a jack pot again!
The last Jack pot I won, I walked up to this woman and asked her if she believed in God,
I told her the story of the young man and how God was making me win jack pots all night long,
She looked at me like I was crazy!
I then, asked her if she would take the money on this jack pot that I was about to win also, needless to say, she just laughed at me, but she did say, yes!
I put the money in the machine and walked away!
When the bells started ringing, the lady started screaming,
Wait, wait!
I said, what?
You said you'd take the money, it's yours, it's a gift from God.
Do you believe?
I then left the casino!
By the time the night was done, I had won over $3000.
I then returned to the young man, who was asleep in my car.
I told him what had happened in the casino, and that the Lord had taken his money and used it and that I was to give him some of it! The Lord told him that He gave him the money for a reason and that he was to use it for what the Lord gave it to him for. I gave him four hundred dollars!
Later the young man came back with a testimony about his sister who had needed four hundred dollars for her rent, or she was going to loose her house! She needed it that day!
My hearts desire was more than just winning the money, it had to do with Him and the chance to share Jesus.
I never thought it would happen the way it did,
I was not the same after Jesus did this to me,
it changed me, my faith grew, and I knew there was nothing impossible for my God!
One day the Lord spoke to me,
I was ministering to a young man and the Lord told me to take him to the casino!
Crazy, I know!
I had no money, so I asked him, if he did?
All the young man had was four dollars,
I asked him if he would give me the four dollars,
and told him that the Lord said, to go to the casino and play the four dollars!
The guy thought I was crazy, but he gave me the four dollars and we drove to the casino, which was 30mins away!
When we got to the casino, the young man stayed in the car and I went into the casino.
I walked right up to a machine I felt the Lord lead me too, and put in 3 quarters, as I put the three quarters in, and I began talking to a lady next to me playing on another machine.
I told her the story of the young man in the car, and how God told me to come to the casino, I asked her if she believed in God?
I then put the next three quarters in the machine, asking the woman one more time, if she believed in God, and then I pulled the spin and the bells start ringing!
Jack pot!
It was the first of many that night!
Each machine I went to I spoke to the person next to me, and asked if they believed in God! Each time after talking to the person next to me I would win a jack pot again!
The last Jack pot I won, I walked up to this woman and asked her if she believed in God,
I told her the story of the young man and how God was making me win jack pots all night long,
She looked at me like I was crazy!
I then, asked her if she would take the money on this jack pot that I was about to win also, needless to say, she just laughed at me, but she did say, yes!
I put the money in the machine and walked away!
When the bells started ringing, the lady started screaming,
Wait, wait!
I said, what?
You said you'd take the money, it's yours, it's a gift from God.
Do you believe?
I then left the casino!
By the time the night was done, I had won over $3000.
I then returned to the young man, who was asleep in my car.
I told him what had happened in the casino, and that the Lord had taken his money and used it and that I was to give him some of it! The Lord told him that He gave him the money for a reason and that he was to use it for what the Lord gave it to him for. I gave him four hundred dollars!
Later the young man came back with a testimony about his sister who had needed four hundred dollars for her rent, or she was going to loose her house! She needed it that day!
My hearts desire was more than just winning the money, it had to do with Him and the chance to share Jesus.
I never thought it would happen the way it did,
I was not the same after Jesus did this to me,
it changed me, my faith grew, and I knew there was nothing impossible for my God!
A
I left the casino with 1500.00 that night, I gave away a lot of it as I was playing.
I was broke, so the money partly went to me, and the other part went to get my daughter a birthday present.
The desire of my heart came up when I desired to win a lot of money at a casino, when I thought I was going to die. It was not a need but a desire, God just did what He does, and gave me more than I could ever ask or think.
F
If we abide, or obey walk with God, pray, read and abide in his word our desires will change. They won't be selfish desires that we have in our natural nature or flesh. Our desires will be His desires. He will give us HIS desires and make them the desires of our heart.
He will not give us our greedy desires because they are not good for us. He knows what he wants for us and it is best for us. He will put those desires into us, thus give us the desires of our heart.
He will not give us our greedy desires because they are not good for us. He knows what he wants for us and it is best for us. He will put those desires into us, thus give us the desires of our heart.
God has given me most things I've wanted and desires of my heart. Yes He does give us fleshly (non-sinful) desires too sometimes. In the old testament his people desired land, wives, children, possessions, animals ... well cars and motorbikes are like modern day animals and so are other possessions no different, nice houses, nice pieces of land. It all comes from God. I heard about a man who asked God for a Ferrari, well God gave it to him praise the Lord.
Feeding the poor or homeless - predictable and pretty unoriginal, we shouldnt have to wait for a desire in our heart before we do that, just do it.
Feeding the poor or homeless - predictable and pretty unoriginal, we shouldnt have to wait for a desire in our heart before we do that, just do it.
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A
Yes Graybeard, I did tell him how much I won, he had no problem with me, he got $400. for his $4.00.
At the time Graybeard I was homeless, so I guess, God did more than answer just a Hearts desire with the casino, he also paid the young mans sisters rent, got my daughter a birthday present and the rest helped a homeless bump that believes in Jesus, me! That's not to mention all the people at the casino who believed and seen for themselves jack pots won in the name of Jesus!
At the time Graybeard I was homeless, so I guess, God did more than answer just a Hearts desire with the casino, he also paid the young mans sisters rent, got my daughter a birthday present and the rest helped a homeless bump that believes in Jesus, me! That's not to mention all the people at the casino who believed and seen for themselves jack pots won in the name of Jesus!
I think the Key to this verse is the very first part" Delight yourself in the Lord". I am not judging you or anybody else here But The Bible says that the eyes of God are just looking over the earth to and fro to find someone that He can show Himself through , But I think it was D.L. Moody that said that it had been unseen what God could do with/or for a person that was completely sold out for the Lord, But solomon pleased God and God said that He would give him whatever he ask for and when he "only" ask for wisdom God poured out many more blessing on Him, ponder on the delight yourself in the Lord and focus on this and see if the rest of the verse don't become fact in your Life, you know what God would be pleased with in your life it may not be more money or bigger ministry, it could be as simple as to love Him more or love others more and if this is what delights you than the other stuff want matter, it may be that your desires Change
In my walk with Jesus I have learned that the heart is the soul, our spirit ,one with God. The true heart in Jesus desires not the physical but all that is spiritual. Allthough Our Lord God takes care of all our physical needs my greatest desire is to know, to see, to be with Jesus. That is the true desire of the heart. So much so do I long to be in his presence that each night when I pray I just keep talking to him. Im sure I talk his ear off sometimes. Its just that I feel as long as I keep talking he has to listen and will stay beside me. He lets me know with love that he is always there and I dont have to keep talking but like all of you that longing within my heart seeks him always. So I believe the true desire of the heart is his presence, to see him. Our worldly needs Our Father said we need not worry about, consider the sparrow. How much more valuable are you than the sparrow. God bless, pickles
Now concerning that verse, it's best to take it within it's context and go back one more verse. So let's look at that. Psalms 37:3
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
The New King James Version. 1982 (Ps 37:3). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.Many times, people know how to trust in the Lord but forget the part of "doing good." We, as Christians, are saved for the purpose of good works (Ephesians 2:10). As we understand God's will and delight in God's will for us to do good works, then we pray according to God's will by allowing Him to work through us. That's the idea of "delighting in the Lord." When we understand God's will for us in our lives, then we delight in God's will. When we delight in God's will, we want to do good works because that's God's will. When we want to do good works and pray that God strengthens us to do good works, then He gives us the desires of our heart.
Now let's look at the verse that goes after Psalm 37:4. In other words, let's look at Psalm 37:5.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
The New King James Version. 1982 (Ps 37:5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.You can look at this as the attitude after prayer. After you have prayed according to God's will, then the evidence of faith displays your commitment to God. In other words, your thoughts, words, and deeds are entrusted to God that your life displays that commitment. You don't need to say anything about how you're committed to God. People can already tell from how you present yourself that you are committed. You also have confidence that when you're in God's will, and you know exactly that God has called you for a specific good work, then "He shall bring it to pass." In other words, you know God is going to answer.
The New King James Version. 1982 (Jas 1:4-8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
The idea I'm trying to convey here, is that your faith in God gives you the confidence that it will be answered.
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