Finding Your Heart's Desire

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

At first glance, the words from Psalm 37 feel a bit like a blank check. They seem to say, "Enjoy God and get everything you want." But instead of a promise of prosperity, the words are a proclamation of a profound truth; the closer you draw to God, the more your desires will reflect his own.

This oft-repeated verse is part of an acrostic psalm, where every other line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Although each verse in Psalm 37 contains its own unique insight, all the verses work together to convey one important message. Those people who are wise have no need to worry during times of trouble. This psalm gives you four practical ways to defeat worry when evil people seem to be getting ahead: (1) trust in the Lord, (2) commit your way to the Lord, (3) wait on the Lord, and (4) delight in the Lord.

The focus of the psalmist's words is delighting in the Lord. The Hebrew word for delight is much more powerful than its English counterpart. Here it means "to find exquisite joy," To delight in God is to find your deepest pleasure, your highest ecstasy, and your richest fulfillment in life through your relationship with him. This is an ongoing process as you delight in him afresh each day. As your relationship deepens, what is dear to God's heart becomes dear to your prayers are answered, you discover that your deepest desires are fulfilled.

Any time you desire something that you know would also delight God, spend a moment thanking God for how he's helping you grow to be more like him.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God and give thanks for his leadership; for his faithfulness to you and your life. That he loves us so much that his promise is to bring delight, joy and ecstasy both on earth as it is in heaven. ~ MME Team

Panic Attack

Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Worry is a stealthy, yet formidable, enemy. Worry can creep into your life quietly, masquerading as an acceptable human response to living in an imperfect world. But worry is neither acceptable nor harmless. Worry is a dangerous diversion that leads you to focus on your problems instead of on God, who loves you and is in control. There is an easy, effective way to eliminate worry - pray.

Praying about both the big and the small things in your life is a way of constantly realigning your point of view with God's perspective. Prayer is more than simply asking God for help. It is also a time of worship and thanks. Thanking God for his past help and blessings is a gift to yourself, as well as to God. Every thank-you serves as a personal reminder of God's love and faithfulness in your life, and it provides you with a source of comfort, strength, encouragement, and peace.

Peace and worry cannot coexist. Where worry is the potential enemy, peace is the faithful sentinel guarding your mind and heart. There is nothing passive about the word guard. It's a Greek military term that paints a picture of a stronghold being protected by vigilant garrison of watchmen. When you allow prayer to defeat worry in our life, God's peace will be your watchman through any and every situation.

At the first sign of worry, practice the life-changing principle found in Philippians 4:6-7. Tell God what you're anxious about. Thank him for who he is, for what he has done, and for the peace he provides.

Pray to God and give thanks for the sustainable peace he provides us when we declare that he is in control. ~ MME Team