What are the Desires of My Heart?

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” That familiar verse from Psalm 37 begs the question: “What are the desires of my heart?”

We may be so interested in getting what we desire that we forget the other side of the equation—delighting in the Lord. Think about a time in your life when you didn’t want anything. Desire is part of being human— whether you’re looking for love, money, success, attention, peace, or just something quick to eat. Desire can be a positive or negative force in your life.

A desire to pay off debts or save for a car can motivate a person to work harder and spend less. A desire for attention can cause a person to buy flashy clothes or a fancy car they can’t afford. A desire for power can convince someone they need to put themselves first. The desire to protect and nurture children is part of what makes families work.

God knows this about us, of course. He made us that way. Genesis 1 tells us Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, perfectly designed for a relationship with each other and the Lord. In His wisdom and love for His creation, God also set boundaries and allowed humankind to choose whether to obey Him or not. Adam and Eve desired independence, and as a result, their rebellion severed that perfect relationship with God.

So, what are the desires of your heart? There are so many things you can want. Most of it probably seems good to you, but if you’re a Christian, you must ask if what you desire draws you away from your Creator, who has called you to: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2 Sometimes, your desires can distract you from following Jesus, with dire consequences. James 1:14 explains, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 has another example of distracting desires, where Paul warns Christians about immoral behavior. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” On the other hand, desires that align with God’s will direct you away from sin and into a deeper walk with Jesus. As the Lord told his followers in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Do your desires line up with what God wants? David wrote about the desires that please God in Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do your will, “O my God; your law is within my heart.” Later, Hebrews 10:16 quotes Jeremiah, who foretold God’s new covenant in Christ: “I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds.”

When Jesus is your Savior and Lord, He gives you a new heart and identity as a child of God. Your old nature and old desires don’t define you anymore. You can choose to let those old desires back into your life, but they will distract you.

It takes prayer and discipline, but when you choose to delight in the Lord’s ways each day, he will begin to refocus your desires on Him and His purposes.

Psalm 37 is full of instructions for living in a way that pleases the Lord. Here are just a few:

Trust the Lord;
Do good to others all the time;
Make faithfulness a way of life;
Offer your plans to Him every day;
Wait patiently for God’s guidance;
Don’t let anger get control of you, and
Don’t be anxious about what evil people do.

Ephesians 5:1 sums this all up by reminding us that Christians who desire God more than anything else look just like Jesus: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We hope this encourages you to begin delighting in the Lord so that you may have the desires of your heart. When your desires align with God’s, you have perfect peace. You can also listen to a related podcast on this topic.

What are the Desires of My Heart?

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