Pray in 2017- Day 13- Desires of My Heart

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." (Matthew 21:22 ESV)

Day 13- Desires of My Heart

Yesterday after we prayed for love, I thought over and over, “What would it look like if I loved more this year than I ever have before?” That is a question I have never asked myself, but I am continuing to ask Jesus to help me do just that.

Today we are praying that the Lord would give us the desires of our heart.

O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear (Psalm 10:17 ESV)

I can open my heart and lay it bare before my Lord. I never have to hide one desire or longing. I trust that He will listen and not be shocked at my wishes. But that doesn’t mean God is a vending machine that produces what I request.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37:3-5 ESV)

I’ve thought long and hard about this verse over the years. My initial reaction was to think, “Oh, good- Jesus will give me what I really want.” But eventually I began to ask Jesus instead, “Please change what I desire to look more like what You desire.”

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7 ESV)

In order for me to abide in Jesus, and His words to live, in me, I must spend lots of time reading the Word and talking with Jesus. The more I am in the Bible, the more my desires reflect His.

In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. (Isaiah 26:8 ESV)

What would it look like if the deepest desire of my soul was the Lord? I’m not sure, because I am not there yet. But praying is one way I pursue that.

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1 ESV)

Paul’s desire was to see others come to know Jesus and be saved. This challenges me because when I consider my own desires, I realize they are more me-focused than eternity-focused. In order for other’s salvation to be my heart’s desire, I will have to turn my gaze away from myself and toward those around me.

The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath. (Proverbs 11:23 ESV)

Day 13 Prayer

O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. (Psalm 38:9 ESV)

My dearest Jesus,

Today I open my heart to You and bring You every desire of my heart. There are many expectations and dreams yet unrealized. I want to be honest and lay them all out on the table in Your glorious light.

I know that, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12a, ESV), and I struggle with some unfulfilled desires. But today I ask You to help me put all those unmet hopes on Your altar. Please do away with any that do not bring You glory.

Lord, I ask You to help me desire the salvation of others, to long for more of Your presence, to want more of Your Word, and to crave opportunities to glorify Your name.

Lord, just like I asked You to help me in 2017 love more than I ever have before, I ask You to magnify my desire for You. May I desire You more this year than I ever have before.

Then, even if I don't meet my goals, if I don't succeed in business, if I continue to struggle with relationships, if I fail at every New Year's resolution, but I have YOU, my heart will be fully satisfied.

You are enough. You are all. You are worth the abandonment of every lesser thing.

This year, may You, and You alone, be the desire of my heart.

Amen.

Blessings on your endurance to keep praying!

You have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah (Psalm 21:2 ESV)

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