I believe it is safe to say that we all love the idea of God giving us the desires of our heart, however that promise has a condition; you must delight yourself in the Lord. That can be the hardest part of the promise. It is the place where you have to ask yourself whether I am truly delighting myself in the Lord.

Psalm 34:7(KJV) says, “Delight yourself also in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of your heart.” 

When you delight in something, your thoughts are constantly turning to it; you think of it when you’re awake, and when you are asleep.  It makes you smile to think of it; it cheers you up when other things makes you sad.  You do all that you do concerning it, because it is your delight!   A person’s delight may be found in many things, but the Bible commands us to find our delight in the Lord.  That same delight that we try to find in so many things, we will find in Him.

Occasionally, when I speak with someone they will say “I don’t understand why things aren’t going my way.” God has promised great blessings, but many of these blessings requires our participation. To delight in the Lord simply means that our hearts find peace and fulfillment in Him. He becomes our main focus and desire. It is required that we spend time with him in order to have a closer communion. He will bring to pass, whatever it is, that we have committed to him.

Many people’s delight is in wealth, status, material possessions, and other temporary things of this world, but they are never satisfied. They never really get what they want and they are always wanting more. Without Jesus being the “delight” of your life there will always be a void. 

Matthew 6:33 (KJV) says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things [the necessities of life] will be given to you as well.” We will never be deeply fulfilled or happy with the things this world has to offer. If we place our joy and hope in God first, He will meet all of our needs. He will even give us our wants, as our hearts desires begin to line up with His will. 

We can “delight” ourselves in the Lord, by doing what pleases him and by putting his word in our hearts. Psalms 119:11 (KJV) says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” As children of God the desires of our heart should be to know, love, and live a life pleasing to him.

Ephesians 3:20 (KJV) says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” This world can never satisfy our deepest desires, but if we choose to delight in God’s way, He will always provide above and beyond our expectations. 

Sherry Ferrell is the pastor of True Worship Praise Center and a member of the United Ministerial Alliance.