You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. — Psalm 145:16
Desire is basic to who we are. Without desires we wouldn’t be human. God created us to want affection, approval, nourishment, love, sex, fulfillment and so on. The One who loves us and the one who hates us contend for our desires.
The enemy promises shortcuts to satisfy our desires, but leaves us empty, hungry for more. The food he brings can only carry the illusion of satisfying while it creates more and more pain that twists our hearts. Ultimately, he wants to put us in such a state that nothing can satisfy our desires.
I think of the sexual abuse survivor who desperately needs to be loved, but overtures of love are interpreted as carrying ulterior and destructive motives, and so love sometimes cannot be received … without the Lord’s healing.
On the other hand, the Lord fulfills your longings. Sometimes God is characterized as only meeting needs, as not really caring about your wants or desires. I’m not sure how we came up with that idea. The Lord is intensely interested in all of your desires — even the frivolous ones — even the bad ones. He will satisfy all of them, but not always when and how you expect.
God isn’t mainly a "drink-your-castor-oil," "I-only-do-this-for-your-own-good" God. God created you with your own unique collection of desires. Yes, some of those desires have been corrupted, and God will take you through a process of purifying your heart so that He can satisfy all your desires with good things.
If you want to get to know God, talk to Him about your desires and His. You might discover something new about His great love for you.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.