A Prayer to Find Delight in the Lord
By: Emily Rose Massey
Bible Reading:
"Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4, NKJV
Listen or Read Below:
When I am tempted to complain about my circumstances, I must ask myself some questions to gain perspective and conduct a serious heart assessment: if I am always seeking an escape from discomfort or trial, am I truly satisfied in Christ alone? Am I looking to material things, people, or enjoyable experiences to find peace or joy? Am I truly content with what God has already provided for me in Christ? We know that as believers, we can always find answers and direction in the Scriptures.
Psalm 37:4 tells us to: "Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4, NKJV).
The Hebrew word translated “delight” literally means to be delicate or feminine. It carries the idea of being pliable or sensitive. In this specific context in Psalm 37, it means to be dependent upon God and to derive one’s pleasure from Him.
When we read this verse, we usually picture the word 'delight' to mean 'enjoying God,' which, in a way, it does. However, as I delved deeper into researching the Hebrew meaning of the word, I realized the verse appears to be a command to us. God is commanding us to find our pleasure and contentment in Him alone.
Here, also, in this verse, the Lord is telling us that He will give us the desires of our hearts once we fully depend on Him and His ways. When we have a full understanding of who God is and what His ways are like, we can take genuine pleasure in Him. Not because of what He can do for us, but just because of who He is.
What begins to happen the more we take delight in the Lord is that He begins to change our hearts and change our desires to reflect His desires. Instead of focusing more on ourselves and what we want, we begin to think more highly of others and become less self-centered and selfish. Suddenly, one of our greatest desires then becomes to please God and share His message with others, using our lives to give God all the glory He deserves.
Jesus is the One who gives us the strength and ability to remain content no matter what we are experiencing. True contentment is knowing that Jesus alone can satisfy our souls. When we search for fulfillment in things, people, or even our circumstances, we will always come up short. All these things we try to fill our lives with aren’t necessarily bad things, but when they become the end goals and the reason for our being, they become idols in our lives. We end up being discontented because those things were never meant to fulfill us. Jesus is the only One who can bring true contentment into our lives. May we learn to delight in Him, and over time, we will begin to see how He changes our desires to look more like Him. Take some time to reflect, journal, and express your gratitude to the Lord. If you are feeling discontented, ask the Lord to help you find satisfaction and peace in Him alone.
Let’s Pray:
Lord,
Sometimes I get swept away in complaining about my circumstances when life just feels boring or dull, and I long for more. I repent for having a heart of entitlement or ungratefulness for all that You have lavished upon me. I know You have given me all I need and should rest in contentment because most of all, You have given me a relationship with You, which is the most important thing in my life.
Help me find a heart of thanksgiving even in the mundane. I long to find true satisfaction in You alone. Please give me the grace to delight in Your goodness and faithfulness as I shine my light into the world, all for Your glory.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Photo Credit: Unsplash/AlexandraFuller
Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a homeschooling momma of four boys, while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
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