February 1, 2013

Faithful Friday #5 / To Delight in the Lord



We had just broken up and I was falling apart. Months continued on and I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I tried to explain myself, but he wanted nothing more than to leave me with hurtful words and a broken heart.


Have you ever felt like me? 
I have a feeling you do. 

In the midst of turmoil, I've often turned to Psalm 37:4 and meditated on it. I love the idea of God giving me the desires of my heart, but that promise has a condition - delight myself in the Him. That’s the hard part of the verse - the place where I have to ask myself whether I am truly delighting myself in the Lord.
Psalm 40:8
“I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” 
Romans 7:22
For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.
Now, how do we delight ourselves in the Lord you may ask? 
By doing what pleases Him and putting His law in our hearts. Then, as we are sanctified, He gives us the desires of our heart. 
Pretty awesome, right!

Here’s how Matthew Henry put it: “He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humors of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please him and to be pleased in him.” *
Think about what our desires would be and how God would meet them if we spent more time on the first part of Psalm 37:4 than the last part.
Here are some practical, though -  provoking questions to go over this week:
1. How have you dealt with your longing for love?
2. Describe your thoughts when reading Psalm 37:4 in the past.
3. After looking at two other Scripture verses about delighting ourselves in the Lord, and after reading Matthew Henry’s quote, how have these helped you better understand Psalm 37:4?
4. What can you do to delight yourself in the Lord?
5. How do you think your desires will be different if you do the things you listed in the previous question?
Love you all and so very thankful for you. 

  post signature

4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for continuing on the Faithful Friday journey with me. I hope that it helping you grow as much as it is helping me. I am thankful for your partnership and enjoy reading your posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marquis, I love this series. Its such an encouragement to me sometimes more than to other I think. Writing this and reading your post on a weekly basis has pulled me closer to the Lord and reminded me of the sovereignty of our God. Love you lots dear one!

      Delete
  2. Beautifully written Clara! I think we have all felt this way in one point or another, I know I have.

    I am now following your lovely blog via the I love my online friends hop. :)

    www.thislifesbeautifulmoments.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. We are your newest followers from the blog hop. Would so love a follow in return www.sugaraunts.com. This is a beautiful post you have written. The verses are touching!

    ReplyDelete

Blogging tips