A Prayer to Desire What God Desires for Your Life
By: Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading:
“As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.” - Psalm 18:30
Listen or Read Below:
It still amazes me how God completely shifted my dreams and desires from my previously planned future. My husband and I were once quite comfortable with our family of five. One boy, two girls, and a puppy by the time our third set off for kindergarten. And at last, we were on our way to retiring at a youthful enough age to enjoy decades of adventure and travel, alongside precious years of reflecting on the life we had handcrafted. Everything was going according to plan. My plan. Until an unsettling stirring snuck into my soul, a sense of slight purposelessness began to swell quickly.
It was around that time that I came across the verse in my studies about delighting in the Lord and Him giving the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). So, that’s what I began to do. As much as humanly possible, I wholeheartedly delighted in the Lord to seek the purpose I desired, through prayer, scripture reading, Bible studies, and soaking in sermons. And it wasn’t long before God beautifully placed new dreams and desires in my heart. And a specific desire that had definitely never been mine. The desire to add a child to my family. And if you haven’t read my book or many of my devotions, I’ll fast-forward a few years to inform you that I wound up with twins. WOW God, right?
You might hear this story and think, yeah, great for you, but I definitely don’t want God to cast that desire on me. You’d kind of like to have a say in what God might direct you to. And maybe his will for you isn’t more kids. But what if God planted a desire to move across the country or downsize homes or careers, or give half your salary to God? Would any of those work for you? Or have you been pretty closed off to that which seems uncomfortable or inconvenient? Hey, I get it, I’ve certainly been a bit reluctant before, too.
But to help ease any apprehension, I would like to share the wonderful news I’ve learned firsthand. If you’re truly seeking and delighting in God, he will not just instill the idea; he will then begin to make you yearn for that which he plants in your heart. He opens closed-off hearts. His desire literally becomes your deep desire. It's quite beautiful, actually.
And if you’ve ever had or currently have any hesitation about adopting God’s desires over your prior plans or dreams, I want to assure you that God’s desires are genuinely what is best for your future. In fact, his desires will offer you a more extraordinary future than you could have ever imagined or dreamed up on your own.
Psalm 18:30 tells us, As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. God’s way absolutely is perfect. His desires, dreams, and plans for you are all, and always, perfect. And this truth written in his Word is without error, flaw—also perfect. We can trust his plans. We can take refuge in him as he protects us to, and all the way through, his plan. And as we stay close to him, and as he fans the flames of desire to line up with his, there will be even more joy and unparalleled enjoyment of that which he gives and unfolds as we walk along the path with him.
So dive deep into the delight of him. Because when we deeply delight in him, our hearts align with his heart. Our desires align with his desires. More and more, we come to want what he wants, and we begin to receive more of the very things our hearts come to long for. And our life becomes more and more beautiful than we ever dreamed because we are following the perfect way. God’s flawless, perfect way.
Let’s Pray:
Lord God, You are the way. And your way is the best way. Always and forever. And so, always and forever, I want what you want for my life. As for the times I hold too tightly to my plans, I know that the closer I stay to you, you will move and mold my mind and heart to match your perfect plans for me.
Help me remember to stay close to you. Help me not forget that your will and way are perfect and that your plans are better than anything I could have ever dreamed or desired for my life. God, I praise you for your perfect care and consideration of my future, and for creating something so beautiful with my story.
In your trustworthy name, Amen.
If you liked what you read, I think you will love my latest book, Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes. You can find it on Amazon or your favorite online retail site. I hope it blesses you!
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Takako Watanabe
Keri Eichberger is a Jesus-loving Kentucky girl. She is married to her best friend, Mike, and has a full house of five kids. After years of writing for an online audience, Keri became ordained through Southeast Christian Church, giving her life to full-time ministry. She is the author of Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes, and has a passion for sharing faith-filled encouragement through devotional writing. Connect with Keri at KeriEichberger.com or Instagram.
Related Resource: When Life Unravels: Biblical Strategies for Hard Seasons
Few challenges stretch a parent’s faith and emotional reserves more than life’s unexpected curveball seasons—the plot twists that leave you wondering, “God, what are you doing?” How do you remain anchored in truth when the bottom drops out?
This week on Christian Parent/Crazy World, Catherine welcomes back her very first guest and trusted friend, Dr. Erin Barry, to help parents not only survive, but find hope and stability in life’s most turbulent moments. Dr. Barry is a clinical Christian counselor, author, homeschool expert, and co-founder of inseparableLives.com. Her biblically grounded wisdom comes from over 30 years of walking families through the storms of life.
In this transparent and practical episode, Catherine gets real about her own season of loss, uncertainty, and a series of shocking life upheavals—from parenting a prodigal, to family moves, to sudden job loss. Using these stories as a backdrop, Dr. Barry unpacks essential biblical strategies for clinging to faith and finding stability when life feels out of control. If this episode helps you be a more thoughtful parent, be sure to follow Christian Parent, Crazy World on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!