The Desire Dilemma
This past Sunday I talked about the things that start out so well…
A marriage, a friendship, a job…a life.
But then, some time after the honeymoon, after the 90 day probation period…a new, darker, murkier glaze seems to start growing over our Nothing’s going to stop me now lenses.
It often happens over time, slowly and subtly- as our plans, our dreams, and our expectations begin failing against our real world realities.
We were thinking this was going to happen…
We were anticipating it going like this…
We thought… “He will do this. She will be this.”
And with every thing, and with every person that doesn’t come through-
Skepticism and frustration begin their work.
We begin to live with this half-hearted hope; with this expect the worst mantra humming in the back of our minds…and before we know what hit us- this one thing that didn’t happen way back when is affecting way more things in our here and now.
We’re carrying around this anger and we don’t know why.
We’re driving around with this intense impatience even though we don’t have anywhere urgent to be.
We’re frustrated with everything…from our kids to our spouse, to our friends, to the guy ringing up my order (who’s taking longer than what I would take). We’re even frustrated with inanimate objects like gas pumps, paint brushes, and packing tape (which you can’t work because you can’t find where it begins.)
Did you ever stop yourself in the middle of a temper-tantrum, in the middle of frustration and ask…Why?
Why am I feeling this way?
What is really causing this?
What would happen if we could train ourselves to bend toward God in those moments instead of inclining ourselves to what our hearts are saying about our circumstances…about us.
The Bible tells us that we can’t trust our hearts.
When we are holding the reins to our heart, it will always steer us in the wrong direction. Our heart will always get carried away by our ever-changing emotions and feelings.
God says, "bend and incline your heart toward me, so that I can give you what you really want." (Psalms 37:4)
“I know you think your life is over because that didn’t happen, or hasn’t happened yet. I know you believe that you need that, or need them to be that…But I want to tell you…you don’t. All you need is me. Give your heart to me and I will give you what you’re really looking for in any and every situation.”
Here’s a truth I hope you’ll always remember and never forget…
We can’t trust a heart that God hasn’t handled.
It’s true of yours and it’s true of theirs.
Maybe the frustration you’re feeling, the anger and hurt you’re feeling….
Is a heart that’s aching and yearning and stretching toward the only One truly worthy of holding and molding and Fathering it.
We all have a list, we all have things in our lives that didn’t turn out the way we anticipated.
I want to remind you…that didn’t catch God by surprise.
I want to remind you…God is way bigger than the things that didn’t work out for us.
I want to encourage you…the next time you’re frustrated, the next time you’re angry, the next time you’re impatient…
Maybe it isn’t her fault, or his fault, or their fault…
Maybe…there is a desire dilemma going on in you, and the discomfort you’re feeling is your heart that you haven’t allowed God to handle yet.
