New Post today by David Nobles
What is your heart's desire?
Does God want you to have your heart's desire? I think he does. I think he wants you to be happy.
BUT: I've always thought he wanted you to have your heart's desire ONLY if
your desires match up with his. Happiness will only come on those terms. In
other words, only if your will is totally subsumed within his, if you have been
crucified with Christ, if you have died to self, if you have taken up your
cross, given away all your possessions...you get the idea. I admit I have
always thought you had to be Super Christian or the Ultimate Disciple to get
the desires of your heart. Gary Barkalow says that's not true in his book
"It's Your Call." He says God made me, with my very own specific
physical and psychological profile, my personal set of gifts, abilities,
hang-ups, and oddities, and he wants me to have my heart's desire.
Can he be right? Can it be that simple?
He does say that certain desires don't count: those that don't match up
with God's character. If your desire is to harm someone, take advantage of a
situation, or is in some other way less than God's best for anyone, you have to
throw it out. With those exceptions, if you are a Christian, he wants you to
have the desires of your heart.
I don't consider myself Super Christian or the Ultimate Disciple. Lots of
days I have died to self, but unfortunately lots of days I haven't. However, I
truly want to honor God with my life. So, if God wants me to have the desires
of my heart--what are they?
I want my wife and kids to have good lives. I want them to be happy. I want
to be happy as well. I wouldn't turn down a six-figure salary.
I want to break 80 (without a lot of practice, of course). I want my Bears
to win the BCS national championship and March Madness. It's OK if they have to
work real hard to do it. I want to own a car made since 2003. I want to lose
weight and be in shape enough to finish an Olympic distance triathlon--I don't
want to win, but I don't want to be last. Middle of the pack would be great.
I want to travel. I'd like to see all 7 continents--I've already been to 3.
I think it’s going to be really, really tough to actually get to Antarctica.
I want to write something worth reading. I want people to read what I
write. Making a lot of money from writing wouldn't stink. It would then be just
fine if someone called and said come talk to this stadium full of people about
what you wrote.
I want to help small groups grow: in numbers, in depth of relationship with
one another, and in their relationship with God. I want people to experience
the Christian life as God intended it. I want to help people know God and make
him known. To be able to teach people about God’s plan for themselves and the
world and to help others be better teachers would really make me smile.
Obviously most of this is not what Barkalow is really asking about. I think
there are more serious things in my heart, but right now I don't know what they
are. Barkalow says most people can't answer this question, that their passions
have been suppressed and diminished and maybe even crushed by life. He says it
will likely take some time and work to discover the true desires of your heart.
I am working on that, and I encourage you to do that work as well.
What is your heart's desire?
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