Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 (NLT)
What are the desires of your heart? Take a moment to think about it. Maybe write it down….
God knows what they are and he also knows what they should be for you to be really happy. If you examine your heart, you might unpack it and find these things in there.
A spouse or a mate
A happy family or marriage
Great job
New house
Health
For this problem or that problem to go away
Down at the very bottom is a tiny flame that is your desire for God. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit gives this to us. In the beginning, that flame is super small. To grow it, you have to focus on it just like you would a mate or job to make them what you want them to be. You have to fan the flame.
How do you fan this flame? Spend time praying. Not your cursory prayer to check the box but a conversation. That’s what prayer is after all. Listen a bit and wait for that “Ah God!” moment. That’s God impressing something on your heart.
Spend time reading the Bible. It doesn’t matter if you read one verse or 10 chapters. Read and think about what you’ve read. Often here you will have another “Ah God!” moment. This can also happen with devotionals or other spiritual books.
Finally, help someone. Love on someone. God will often put these people in your path. If he does, follow his lead and your flame will shoot into the air.
Pretty soon, as you fan your flame, it grows bigger and bigger. Eventually, some of the stuff you had packed in your heart falls away. When God is at the center of your life, it changes what you care about. The other things? Well, they get even better because you get better at loving, prioritizing and sharing.
God knew all along what would really make us happy. We just get confused sometimes about what that is. Luckily, there is always the chance to rearrange and uncover that little flame that we sometimes have tucked into a back corner.
One more thing, as you are unpacking and repacking, you get to go on these great God adventures! He knows that we love excitement and he’s ready!