Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Everybody who is awake has "desires of the heart" that he or she longs to see fulfilled. They may be held in deep privacy, and only the Heavenly Father knows of them through our secret prayers "in thy closet" (Matt. 6:3-6, King James Version). The promise is sure: "Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).
If the granting of those "desires" is delayed, could it be that the "desires" themselves need to be purified? If the "desire of my heart" is for a new Maserati sports car, if the Lord truly loves me, He will not grant that "desire"--at least not now in this poverty-stricken world. Spending that much for personal gratification and pride would not be consistent with living by faith in this cosmic Day of Atonement.
First, "the desires of your heart" are not really to possess any human being. If we place any person as an idol before the Lord Jesus, that "desire" cannot bring happiness in the end. As an example, for a Christian to marry an unbeliever is something the Lord would save us from! If you knew your heart better, you would realize that the real bottom-line "desire of your heart" is to see Jesus smiling at you, to know that He is proud of you, that He honors you. Nothing in this world can give you the joy that being in harmony with Him brings.
Second, "fast-food" prayer answers don't bring the greatest joy. Immediate gratification in prayer is not what our kind Heavenly Father means in His promises. You may want something while you are a teen that later on you could enjoy far more. "He shall give you the desires of your heart" at the time when you are capable of the greatest thrill of realization--when you are more mature. So, believe, "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" (vs. 7). That's the path that will lead you into real happiness. Teenagers, think of it!
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 30, 2002.
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