The Desires of My Heart

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." 

     I'm willing to bet that we all enjoy the truth right there, whatever our heart desires will be ours. We take the last part of the verse and don't even think about what "delight yourself in the Lord" means. 

     If we are delighting in the Lord, then our desires will be of the Lord. If we delight in the world, our desires will be of this world. It's not saying, "you'll get that pair of jeans your coveting right now, or even that ah-mazing computer that will be oh so beneficial to your "cause" for the Lord," just because it's the desire of your heart. 

     I often don't know what the true, pure, and Christ-like desires of my heart are since they're so often smothered in worldly desires. But as I see how things have changed since Youth Camp I look back and go, "wow, God gave me the desire(s) of my heart," I wouldn't have even considered it a desire of my heart pre-YC but in retrospect, I recall the longing for the desire. The reason it was hidden from me though is because it was just a little, small, pure, longing for something that only the Lord could give me. It was easily forgotten in my "wants" and "lusts". 

     I think there's two ways to apply this verse: 1) would be that we can pray, or someone else can pray for something or other to happen or be worked within us and it will be a desire that delights in the Lord and the prayer will be answered. 2) would be that we don't even notice that what we desired was something that we actually desired until after we received the gift. Does that make sense? 

     I think the best way to explain the second way would be to use an example. I was sitting in front of a big bon fire enjoying the night conversation and glittering stars, when my dear friends, Mikaela and Christina (who have been best friends since they were born) started praying and crying with one another. I realize that life is tough, and when I look at girls just a few years older than me and their situations and then I look at my situations I still feel very care free. 

     But anyway, I loved it. 

     I loved how Mik prayed over Chris and they were pleading before God with tears and thanksgiving. I subconsciously desired to have a friendship like that. Have the experience of holding onto a dear friend and crying and praying to God. But at the moment, despite the fact that I had some wonderful, fantastic, Christian friends, I couldn't see that happening. And it made me have a sad longing. It wasn't there constantly, and I was never fully aware of this desire. 

     And  just how much I desired for this "thing" wasn't fully revealed to me till Thursday evening, as I knelt beside my friend and we shook with uncontrollable tears and lifted my voice in trembling praise and prayed. 

     The best part though; that wasn't all! Sunday morning my heart's desire came true again, I went forward and prayed with my dear friend, Rebecca, who gave her heart to Christ at camp and with Holly, who I've grown so close to and once again we prayed and cried and this time, it was almost even better than the other night. 

     I also saw and experienced so much answered prayer that it's overwhelming. Answered prayer for teens to be saved at camp, answered prayer concerning my friends, me, and just so, so much that we don't deserve. 

     Youth Camp was one of the best experiences (thus far) in my life and I have a lot to write about so you'll be seeing more camp related posts in the future. Right now I have a huggggeee sleep deficit and I think the only way to stay awake is to go clean the bathroom, do the laundry and laugh at my voice which is so different ever since I lost it. Seriously, it's really funny.