Today's Devotional Thought
September 09, 2009 by Wendy Foreman
Delight in the Lord
How many of us have quoted this verse thinking that all we had to do was be a Christian and ask for good things and that God would give them to us? When I think of people in my life that have faced difficult times, they say this verse and cling to it. They use it kind of like a wishing stone.
What are your desires though? This is where you have to examine what it is that you are asking for. Now many of us have asked for wonderful things, for a loved one to get better, maybe for a better financial situation, for good health for our children, a good job and the list could go on and on. These things are in no way bad things to ask of the Lord. I have spent time in my own life asking for similar things. I think where we go wrong is in thinking that what we are asking for is what God desires for us.
Now let me share with you something that I asked for and honestly I thought it was a great prayer and unselfish desire but God knew best in the end. When the decision was made for us to leave our previous church, we began searching for where it was the Lord wanted us to minister. Now our parents both live in Pennsylvania, and let me tell you, we were elated to find a church that was searching for a pastor close to our hometown and my husband immediately sent his resume. I clung to this verse. I just knew that the Lord would put us close to our parents. We wanted our children to grow up around their grandparents and we wanted their grandparents to be involved in their lives. We wanted to be there for our parents as they aged so that we could take care of them. Now those all sound like good reasons right?
As we prayed and sought the Lord, He began to open other doors and He closed that door pretty quickly. I have to be honest, I was really upset and even argued with God a bit. Why wouldn’t He allow us to be close to our parents and other family and friends that we have been away from for so long? This was my desire, why wouldn’t God give it to me?
We came to visit the church we are in currently and at first I just didn’t think I could come here. I wanted to be closer to our family. As the months went by and we continued to visit and correspond, I knew that God wanted us here in Southeastern Virginia. I saw God do amazing things and answer prayers very specifically.
You may desire something that you think would be great for your family. I thought my desire to be where our parents were was best for everyone. Why wouldn’t it be? What I found out is that God knew exactly where we needed to be. We are in a church that loves us like we are family and they have opened there homes and hearts to us and I am so happy and grateful that God really knows what is best for us.
What is your desire today? I know that mine is just to be and do what it is He has planned for me. I have learned that God really knows what is best and when we try to do our own thing we never really feel fulfilled.
December