Our Heart’s Desire

I read an excellent article recently on the Desiring God website that starts with this statement: “Actions speak louder than words — but desires speak loudest.”

I have found this to be true in my own life, especially in the last year. The is no doubt I have the desire to serve God in whatever way he wants, and I have the desire to study Scriptures and spend time in prayer. I have the desire to spend time with my kids and my wife, and to lead well in our home. I have the desire to be a pastor and boldly lead God’s people toward treasuring Christ more highly.

By the grace of God, those are desires I can honestly say exist within me. However, they are weak.

They are weak compared to my desire for recognition and praise. They are weak compared to my desire for entertainment and leisure. They are weak compared to my desire to satisfy the lusts of the flesh.

If you take a moment and reflect on your desires, you might come to the same realization. If so, you must ask the question: “how can I change it?”

This will be a theme for my writing over the next month as I seek to increase my desires for holy things and decrease (or eliminate) desires that do not heighten my affections for Christ.

For right now, I am taking the step of removing those things I have most control over. I don’t feel the need to be specific, but there are things in my life that I desire more than Christ. I need to remove them and replace them with things that increase my affections toward Christ.

I challenge you to consider your desires. Pray that God will show you the things you turn to when you should be turning to God. May God be gracious and give us wisdom!