February 2020

When I was young I remember the “old folks” saying, “Just keep living,” when I would snicker at something they said that I didn’t understand. Just keep living! Praise the LORD I did just that!!! He blessed me to live long enough to become one of the “old folks,” and many things make sense to me now.

I used to read Psalm 37:4, and believe that the desires of my heart were things! I expected the LORD to give me things – clothes, shoes, money, friends, happiness, love, boyfriends, and other material “stuff.” As I grew older, the desires of my heart meant a job, a house, a car, a family of my own, and more stuff. These are good, perhaps even necessary, things. But I know now that the desires of my heart that the Psalmist speaks of are not stuff.

Now the desires of my heart are the things of GOD. I want to know Him, to love Him (and others), to seek Him daily by reading and meditating on His Word, and to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. My daily desires are to pursue my relationship with Him, to develop a consistent, daily prayer life, to grow in love for everyone, and to get along with others – especially fellow believers.

My desires didn’t change overnight. Being a Christian is an ongoing, ever-growing process. I learned lessons in my twenties and some tough, hard lessons in my thirties, forties, fifties, sixties and beyond. Every lesson taught me how walk in faith! It isn’t easy, but GOD promised never to leave or forsake me. He also gave me the Holy Spirit to abide in me, and to teach, comfort, and guide me. As I desire to live for Him, He orders my steps while I travel along life’s road.

Sometimes the desire to love others is a struggle. Some in the Body of Christ – myself included – are difficult to love, because we just don’t like others, won’t speak to others, or can’t pray for or encourage others. We don’t forgive one another like GOD forgives us. He loves us, even though we don’t deserve His love. We forget that while we were sinners, He gave His life for us. We don’t accept or show 1 Corinthians 13 love to others. GOD loves unconditionally, but we put stipulations on love for others. We go through the motions of being like Christ. At Church on Sundays we walk, talk and dress Christianese, but hardly speak kind words to others as the Bible instructs us.

But, as I seek the LORD daily for wisdom and guidance; and as I grow in the knowledge of who He is; what He is like; what He requires of me; and how to obey and please Him; the desire to love others becomes easier and more doable! This makes my desire to seek and follow Him even stronger.

These things have become the desires of my heart!