Week 9

Chapter 9: Expect the desires of your heart

When you read Psalm 37:4, make sure to take into consideration verse five. “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.”

When we seek our purpose while staying in God’s will, our path is clearer. It’s when we seek a purpose that is outside of God’s will for our own popularity, ego or money that we stray off course. Our compass is faulty and we find ourselves in a place we never intended to be.

Psalm 37 is a good illustration of this.

Katie makes a good point that maybe some of our desires has to do with our own happiness and security rather than God’s purpose or our holiness. It could also be as simple as thinking we don’t deserve such a thing.

The desire we are focusing on is not the type in James 1:14—the sinful desire that births death.

Understanding our passions will help us uncover our desires. What are you passionate about? What do you like to do without being paid?

• Hobbies
• Career
• Instruction to others
• Community contribution
• Lifestyle

You are a steward of your passions. Remember the story of the talents? Matt 25:14-29 Are you burying your passion for something, putting it on a back burner and thereby snuffing out your desires? What is standing in your way, time, money? Why not take it to God in prayer? It’s amazing how He reignites your heart for things that have been long dormant. He will also take care of any stumbling blocks in the way. I’m not saying to abandon your children or shirk your responsibilities…I’m asking you to take a moment and think about your passions and talk to God about them.

Think about some of the women of the bible that had passions: Singing, sewing, praying and fasting, family…

Don’t forget you will have seasons. There will be times you need to set aside one passion for another. There will be times when obligations need to be taken care of. But He also knows about fear, guilt and broken dreams that could be hiding your desires.

If a passion fizzles, check the fuse. God will squelch a passion that you have not given to Him. Are you doing it for personal reward?

Have you tried to fill that desire for passion with a counterfeit passion? Do a reality check…what’s really going on? Do you find yourself saying, “I earned it, I deserve it!” Keep your focus where it should be. Get that accountability partner on board and have them ask you the hard questions.

Abraham’s passion was having a son. And when God asked for his son, he literally laid his child on an altar. Will you surrender your passion to the Lord to do with as He chooses? Will you take your passion for finance, organizing, art, nutrition, writing, singing, and lay it on the altar before God?

This week:

• Read chapter 10
• Read Psalm 37