Desperate Desires

As Christians, most all of us want to make an impact in the world for Jesus. That's part of the calling - "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature!" If we have Jesus inside of us, changing us, our desires will become His desires, right?

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)

Though these words are familiar to us, their real power is lost on many of us. Your heart's desires are very important to Jesus. In actuality, He put those desires in your heart.

So what does that have to do with making an impact in the world for Jesus? Surely ministry is something I do for God and others, and it cannot happen until I die to all of my heart's desires....

That is probably the greatest spiritual misunderstanding of all time.

God doesn't want you to abandon your heart's desires; He wants you to tell Him what they are. Here me very carefully. We have been created to seek award for achievement. Not only that, but seeing God as a rewarder is a PREREQUISITE to entering His presence.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Few people in history were as in touch with their heart's desire as Hannah was. She longed to be a mother. We've already established that God put that desire there, as He does for all of us. But here is a seemingly strange twist: He closed her womb!

"But to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, although the Lord has closed her womb." (1 Samuel 1:5)

On top of that, Hannah was subjected to ridicule because of her desire.

"And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb." (1 Samuel 1:6)

Why would God do such a thing?! It sounds so cruel! Look deeper: her time with a closed womb intensified her heart's desire. God creates and then intensifies desires of the heart! Some of the greatest frustrations in your life have been orchestrated to deepen a craving in your heart. These heartfelt wishes are a very essential part of you, and they have the power to produce a cry from your soul to God. In the words of Firefly, "God, You've got me desperate!" This is a mighty gift! Your cry can impact God in a way that few things can.

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11)

Hannah's profound desire for a child provided her with a focused prayer. Hannah did not go to pray for revival. She was not asking for a mighty move of God - she just wanted children. You want joy. You want success. You want love at home and a special someone with whom to share your life. Your Heavenly father is intimately acquainted with all of your desires. They are important to Him, and they are an important part of His design for you!

Are you starting to see yet? God uses your desires - the desires He put there - to move you to the place He wants you to be. He uses them to empower you, to energize you to seek His will in your life. You see, God wants us to have our desires, but He wants us to know without a doubt that they came from Him, that is wasn't our strivings that earned them but rather they are the blessings of a loving Father. If He simply granted them as soon as you felt the first tugging of your heart, you would be happy, but the impact of receiving them would be so much less! God would be essentially working for you - coming to your bidding, when you wanted something from Him - rather than you working for Him and being rewarded for it.

You will find your miracle in a marriage of pleading for your heart's desires and making a shocking discovery about God in the process.

What is that discovery? It's coming up next. I encourage you to write down the desires of your heart and prepare to come to Jesus with them soon. Just do it. Trust me.