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…….and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
I can't tell you how many times I have heard this verse quoted in my lifetime. Sadly, this poor verse is subject to frequent misuse.
The unfortunate translation my human mind presents is this: “If I pray every once in while, it will appease God. Then I can bring Him my wish list, and He will give me everything on it.”
Not even close! Here's how I really need to view it.
If I....spend time with the Lord, reading His word, listening to His voice, reading books that deepen my understanding of Him, putting His teachings into practice in my life, wrestling through the tough things that come while serving Him, learning to love just being in His presence....I will learn what it is to delight in Him.
Then....somewhere along the way, I will have absorbed what it is He loves, what He dreams for on earth, what He intends for my life, what He plans for the lives of people on earth He loves, what makes Him weep, what brings Him joy.
Eventually.....time with Him will unify my heart to His so that I love what He loves. I weep when He weeps. I desire what he desires. And finally....when my desires have come in line with His, He can use me to put them into effect in the world.
I would rephrase it, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of His heart.”