My Heart’s Desire

Everyone has a dream. That perfect job, perfect home, perfect vacation. We have these desires in our hearts. I know I do. I also believe that our heart dreams can be ordained by God. After all, He gifts us individually and wants us to use our special gifts and attributes for His glory. But how do we pray for our heart’s desire?

Know that your success comes from God.

God and God alone is the author of your story. He puts the breath in your lungs and keeps your heart beating. When we are experiencing success, whether in our jobs, homes, or families, that success is a gift from God. Yes, I’m sure you worked hard, but ultimately? It’s God.

Your heart’s desire should be born of God.

This week I had an aha moment. Like a ton of bricks fell on my head. Read this verse:

May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  -Psalm 20:4

All my life I’ve prayed, “God, you know I have the desire to do [whatever]. Please help me to be successful as I work to pursue [whatever].” Basically, I’ve been saying that there is a desire in my heart and I know that just because it’s there God must want me to be brilliant at it since He is the one who put my heart together in the first place. Right? Maybe not so much.

Here’s how I was reading that verse.

May He give ME all the desires of MY heart and make all MY plans succeed.

That’s treating God like a genie in a bottle. Here’s what I want God, so do it for me, please. Fulfill my desire while I scratch this lotto ticket…

Epiphany time. I’ve read this verse a hundred times but when I read it this week it was like, BOOM! I’ve had the emphasis in the wrong place! Now read it again.

May HE give me the desires in my heart and make my plans succeed.

God’s desires and God’s plans.

The point is that your plans will succeed when they are HIS plans. When HE is the one who has planted those desires in your heart. HIS divine guidance and direction alone! It’s time to change my prayer.

Dear Lord, plant your desires and your will in my heart so that I only want what you want for me. I want to walk in your way and your plan for my life. Only with you will I succeed in whatever you have planned for me. Amen.

XO,