Devotionals for the Heart: God cares about the desires of your heart

The Desires of our Hearts
A devotional by Hannah Benson

“You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

—Psalm 145:16 (ESV)

What desire do you have on your heart?

As humans, we naturally want so many things: a satisfying or well-paying job, a family of our own one day. Honestly, you could fill-in-the-blank with anything.

We know God loves to give us good things and bless His children, so at first glance, this verse might seem to contradict reality. After all, we don’t always get what we want when we want. Sometimes, we don’t get what we want at all. What gives?

Notice what this verse says: “[God] will satisfy the desire” not “God will give us everything we want.” It’s so hard to want something specific and be told “No” from God. Maybe you’ve been there or are still there. I get it. I’ve also been there. I often wonder why God says “No.” Why can’t I have what I want? And while we’re at it, why can’t I have what I want now?

The truth is, God is sovereign, and there could be a variety of reasons why He says no or makes us wait. If He were to give us everything we wanted when we wanted, then we would be the gods over our own lives, and we’d have no reason to trust Him. In other words, God would be a genie to us. Second, He could be protecting us from unseen harm. Other times, God might say “No” because He was better plans in store for us. Or maybe, it’s simply not a “No”, but a “Wait.”

I believe that God will give us the desire of our hearts if they are aligned with His will for us. If our wants are not aligned with His plan for us, then He will change our hearts to want what He wants. Even though it’s so hard to surrender our plans, God truly does know best. After all, His plans are for our good, to give us a future filled with hope, and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11).

As a young child, I had specific desires God laid on my heart, dreams that looked impossible to achieve. I prayed so hard every day, faith filling my heart, yet not seeing any answers to my prayers. Eventually, I gave up those desires to God, fully surrendering them to Him. It wasn’t until years later that God brought those dreams to life again, resurrecting what I’d laid to rest, and showing me that He does fulfill the desires of our hearts. It may not be in our timing (most of the time it probably isn’t), but the desires of our hearts are there for a reason.

And even if I don’t get what I want, I have found that whatever I want pales in comparison to the desire of knowing and loving Jesus. That, more than anything, is the deepest desire of my heart. Often, God will ask me to surrender a desire or a dream. Sometimes, it means truly letting go because it’s not His best for me, but other times, it’s because it’s not time yet. When my heart is “empty” and longs for something else, it’s then that God steps in and fills the void in my heart, reminding me He’s the only One who can truly satisfy me anyway.

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV) says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

The desire of truly knowing and loving Jesus Christ and walking with Him will always be met.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God, it’s so hard for me to believe that You will fulfill the desires of my heart when there are so many unanswered prayers and unmet wants in my life. But I know, more than anything, that You are the ultimate desire of my heart. I know that desire will be met even if in life I don’t get what I want. Thank You for the truth of Your love! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “The Secret Place” by Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Hannah Benson is a Jesus-follower who’s passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. 

From the time she could hold a pen, she was writing. But it wasn’t until she was sixteen that she began to follow God’s calling to pursue writing seriously. Hannah is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In addition to fiction, she also writes devotionals and has been published on other websites. Her prayer is that her readers leave deeply encouraged and more in love with Jesus.

When not writing, Hannah also enjoys being involved with local theater companies, with a primary focus on Biblical theater. She wants to show the love of Jesus through the creative arts.

You can read more of Hannah’s writings on her blog or on her Instagram where she strives to write content that leaves others feeling encouraged.

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Connect with Hannah:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hannah-Lynn-Writer/100073790792576/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlbensonwrites/