Happy or Holy?
Happy or Holy?
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 ESV
In all of human history, we live in times of incredible material prosperity. Not only do we have more stuff than ever before, it takes a lot less effort to get that stuff whenever and wherever we want. Is this a reflection of God's blessing or is it the result of our pursuit of happiness? Do we think we deserve a comfortable life because somehow God wants to spoil His children? I hope you agree God's intention is not to appease our material cravings nor is it to spoil us because we're such good kids. If you disagree with me, please comment below. I'd like to understand your reasoning and perspective.
The psalmist gives us the key to experiencing the fullness of God's blessing, delighting ourselves in Him. When we align what we want to the will of God, His presence is all we'll ever want. It's not a matter of whether or not God wants you to have stuff, even nice stuff, it's our contentment in the knowledge that His provision is exactly what we need. We teach our children to distinguish between wants and needs. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, we get both.
It's also not a matter of earning rewards for good behavior. Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate reward despite our bad behavior. God is holy and to be in His presence, we must be holy too. The problem, of course, is we are incapable of achieving this on our own. Through Jesus's sacrifice and victory over death, we've gotten everything we need. If we confess with our mouths that He is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
When we minimize Christ's loving sacrifice, we distance ourselves from contentment and deceive ourselves into thinking God somehow owes us something. We lose sight of Who God is and who we are in comparison. For example, when a loved one faces a grave health issue, we think because we pray that God is obligated to heal. Make no mistake, He hears all prayers and answers them in His perfect timing according to His perfect will. We don’t understand when He doesn't heal which can lead to emotional pain and an impulse to distance ourselves from God. We forget that He offers us comfort in the storm, strength to persevere, and an eternal future absent of pain, hurt and suffering. Clinging to these promises, thus delighting ourselves in Him despite seasons of pain or hardship, is the how we get the desire of our heart, namely peace and contentment.
The world will suggest that more stuff will somehow fulfill the desires of our hearts. Stuff wears our, gets replaced by a newer version, or simply loses its appeal over time. Stuff wants to be chased and like fish, too often we take the bait and get the hook. Shifting the focus from stuff to God changes everything. God pursues us, God never changes and God fills us with His love to the point of overflow so we in turn can extend His love to others.
Ask yourself what truly are the desires of your heart. Don't settle for stuff that moths, rust and interest payments will cheapen. Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and watch what God will do.