“Saving faith is the heartfelt conviction not only that Christ is reliable, but also that He is desirable. It is the confidence that He will come through with His promises and that what He promises is more to be desired than all the world.”
― John Piper, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist
What do you want? Is it some big goal like becoming president of your company? Finally paying off all debt? Seeing your kids successfully through college? Meeting your forever spouse? Maybe you just want sleep…or to have that irritating pain go away. What is it that keeps you up at night, planning, fretting, (hopefully) praying?
King David certainly knew what it was like to have family problems, health problems, and life-or-death crises. Much of his life was spent under extreme pressure that threatened to crack him in half. But he kept returning, again and again, to his joy in his God. “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you” (Ps. 16:2).
I mean, how breathtakingly simple to clear your wish list and put “Jesus” as the only item! Does that seem impossible? Can we even imagine an hour–let alone a life–that isn’t crowded by our goals and tasks?
Here’s the thing: What I want is most likely what I’ll worship. Our everyday desires are huge influencers of our behavior. Example: if I desire peace and quiet more than anything, then I might justify harshness toward my family in order to obtain what I want. In that moment, my agenda trumps everyone else’s–including God’s.
So that’s why John contrasts worldly desires with gospel obedience: “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). David often talked about how he delighted to do God’s will. His desires were centered properly, and it drove his actions.
Do you need to run some diagnostics this week on what you want the most? Ask the Lord to reveal to you where your motivations are out of step with his will. Thank him for redemption that renews our minds (Eph. 4:22-24).