Our Deepest Wish

I recently started reading Timothy Keller’s, King’s Cross, and it has been a refreshing look at the life of Jesus. In it, he talks about how we tend to think that if only we could have a certain something, maybe more success or wealth, that we would be happier. 

Many of us first start going to God, going to church, because we have problems, and we’re asking God to give us a little boost over the hump so that we can get back to saving ourselves, back to pursuing our deepest wish… The fact that we thought getting our deepest wish would heal us, would save us – that was the problem. We had to let Jesus be our Savior.

These statements really hit home for me. As an ambitious person, I have many wishes and those wishes can turn into my motivation and purpose for life. If only I could achieve that next goal, maybe I’ll be more content and feel more valuable.

The warning here is that when our deepest wish is not to have Jesus as our highest treasure, we will never be fulfilled because we are trying to save or justify ourselves. The worst thing that can happen to us is when God grants us our deepest wish. We will discover that ultimate happiness will not be found in receiving what our hearts most desire, unless what our hearts most desire is Jesus Himself. Anything other than Jesus leaves us hopeless.