Desires

Have you ever wanted something you couldn't have? I have been struggling with desires recently and I woke up early today with the need to come to God for answers. I looked up the word desires (in my really cool bible study program I have) to see what God has to say. I am looking for comfort, peace and validation or denial.

Some things on this subject are a given, and I do not need to look them up. Desires that are not in line with what we know of God's word are not something we can ever think to have satisfied through his help or will. Those are the desires we need to pray against and ask God to take from us. God deals with me on those in his own way and though sometimes I do a lot of praying about that, he does answer and those desires tend to fade as they are denied and given up to God.

The desires that have been concerning me lately are those that seem to be in line with God's word, but always hover there just out of reach leaving me sometimes unfulfilled and other times downright sad (angry etc ).

So back to my search. In the NIV translation the Psalms are filled with the word desire and usually something like Ps 145:19 "He fulfills the desires of those who fear him." Which makes me think, OK what am I missing here God.. So my favorite thing to do is look it up in the Message Bible and there I find Ps 145:19 " He does what's best for those who fear him- hears them call out and saves them."

Proverbs looks at desire from the other side... Pr 11:6 (NIV) " The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires". The Message puts it this way Pr 11:6 "Good Character is the best insurance, crooks get trapped in their sinful lust" Which is confirmation to me that some desires are just plain evil and wrong.

Anyway back to desires that seem to be Godly... Which bring me to Romans 8:5 (NIV) "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." And Romans 8:5 (MSG) " Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God!"

James puts it in another perspective.
James 4: 1-3 " What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on pleasures."

So as I ponder about the things I want in this life I must ask myself these questions:
1) Have I asked God for it?
2) What are my motives for asking? Are they linked to sinful desires or are they truly something that could be from God?
3) Are these desires what is best for me? Could getting them pull me away from God?
4) Am I truly where I need to be in my daily life with him to have my desires align with His spirit inside of me?

Then I just have one thing left to do. Get on my knees and submit myself up to God, trusting fully in him and knowing that Romans 8:5 is really where I want to be!

Lord please align my desires with your spirit living inside of me, I want to desire what you desire and want what you want. Bring me peace when you have to tell me no and peace when you get to tell me yes. May I be content in every circumstance of my life and may I see how blessed I really am. Keep my heart thankful and ever seeking you. Make me your child more and more each day and help me to love as you do. In Jesus name, Amen!