What do you do when you wake up with a splitting headache and a crick in your neck? Everything in me just wanted to lay there. I was battling. Started thinking about stuff. My 3-year-old daughter will be up in an hour. My newborn can get up any minute in her quest for that liquid gold only my wife can offer. I had been working on my reps. I needed to be consistent with my morning routine of waking up, reading my Bible, praying, writing in my journal and thinking through my day in order to be as effective as possible. But this was my day “off” (except that there are no days off with a baby).
I did it…in faith. I pulled off the covers and slid my legs around all in one brisk move. After swallowing a couple of ibuprofen, I headed down to my office in the basement to get my reps. I prayed, “God, bless my faith and sacrifice.”
I opened up my Bible to Psalm 145.
Verse 2 says, “Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.” Every day. There are no days off spiritually. The only reason we want a day off – a break that does not involve God – is that there is a desire we have that we think God cannot fulfill.
“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” ~ Psalm 145:15-19
I read this and immediately think about the humble position that puts us in…us as in those of us who look to God to meet our physical needs…those of us who trust God to feed us and take care of us. I don’t like it initially. My flesh doesn’t want to trust in anyone else. Nope, not even God. Then I think about how that doesn’t make any sense. My intellect helps me trust God. Who would I rather trust: a flawed man or a righteous and loving God who has the power to satisfy the desires of every living thing?
Desire.
Desires. (plural)
We all have more than one. We have good desires, evil desires, and good desires that we want to fulfill through sinful
measures.
Sex.
That’s an example of a good and natural desire that we want to fulfill through sinful measures.
Often, our desires feel sinful until we go a little deeper and figure out that what we really yearn for is not sinful, but our solution to fulfill that yearning is so temporary, short-sighted, and rushed. Let’s go back to the example of sex. We may really be yearning for companionship or simply to be loved or to be validated. There can be a million reasons why we want to have sex, but what is it we truly desire?
Here are 3 steps from Psalm 145 that can help us have a godly perspective on our desires.
1. Figure out your desire. Take time to explore your feelings. Ask yourself questions and be honest about the answers.
2. Seek God. Look to Him, call out to Him and cry out to Him. Give God a chance to show you that his way is better.
3. Wait. This is by far the hardest one for me. But did you notice the words, “at the proper time” in the passage above?
God knows what we need and when we need it. We must trust him enough to wait on him. That means that we let go of this lie that says we must have what we want…now. Nope. Unless you desire bread and water or you’re in the emergency room, your desire can probably wait.
Don’t let your desires master you. Wait and trust the maker of your desires. He will satisfy and fulfill…at the proper time.
Ok. Times up. My toddler is up. Actually, here she comes walking down the stairs now.
- Angel Maldonado
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