Do you ever feel that your life is unsteady or uncertain? Perhaps you are asking questions, such as, “Lord, what am I supposed to do with my life?” or “Lord, where do you want me to go?” The specific answers to these questions are found in Psalm 37:4, Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Yet, what is the meaning of delighting myself in the Lord?
First, we see that God gives the seed of desire in your heart. When God gives you a dream or goal to accomplish, it originates within your heart. Vision comes from within. This is why it is vitally important for a Christian to learn to follow his heart and not rely solely upon his understanding, his five physical senses, or his feelings. All of these things have their place in our lives, but none of them can be as trusted like our hearts. You see, with our hearts we believe the unchanging Word of God. But our understanding, physical senses, and feelings are limited to the ever-changing world and all of its uncertainty.
Whenever a Christian is not following his heart, it causes him to be unsteady, just like the world. This is one reason why many Christians seem unhappy and uncertain about the direction of their lives, yet uncertainty and unhappiness should not be conditions of the Christian life. Undeniably, we all have to use our faith to overcome difficulties, and we all have a responsibility to pray and seek God’s direction for our lives.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7, Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Many Christians struggle simply because they do not seek the Lord’s peace and direction. They follow their feelings instead of presenting the situation to the Lord. This allows the uncertainty of the world to creep into their lives, and if allowed to continue, it will lead a person’s life into turmoil.
Second, the Bible admonishes us to not live like the rest of the world. In fact, 2 Corinthians 6:17 says, Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. We cannot live like the world and expect God to make everything magically happen for us. God gets involved when we are delighting in Him. This is why what we find in Psalm 1 is very important. The first three verses of this Psalm give us some very wise counsel for finding the will of God for our lives. It begins by telling us what not to do: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Notice the progression: walking (which indicates curiosity), then standing (which indicates stopping), then sitting (which indicates agreement). Agreeing with the world is the opposite of the next verse. Psalm 1:2 says, But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Delighting in Lord involves taking delight in His Word. When we do this, verse three tells us, And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
If you want to be a steady Christian, one who produces fruit in your own life and in the lives of others, if you want to understand your purpose, if you want to know what God put in your heart to do, then you must begin by taking delight in the Bible. Read it, think about, and find ways to do what it says. Train yourself to look at what the Bible says about a situation instead of following your feelings or trying to figure out things in your mind. Train yourself to not worry about things, but instead make your requests known to God. Delighting in the Lord can be summed up simply by this phrase: put God first! When you do, then God will give you the desires of your heart.