God gives us the desires of our heart

I used to think that Psalm 37:4 meant that God will give us what we desire. After further study, I found out that God will give us desires; however, it is up to us to obtain those desires of our hearts by faith.

One of the greatest gifts I obtained through faith in God’s word after salvation was my wife.

One day, a man of God came to me and asked me if I wanted a wife. I told him that I did. He said, “It’s not good for a man to be alone.” He asked me if I knew the qualities I desired in a woman. I was about 34 years old and had been searching for as long as I could remember. I knew exactly what I wanted, but I hadn’t found what I was looking for. He asked me if I had written down any of my heart’s desires. I asked him why I would need to do that. He told me that if I didn’t write them down, I wouldn’t know that it was God who gave me my wife.

He was right. I would have thought that I had obtained her through my own efforts. He told me to write down a list of desires from my heart, pray over the list and start looking for my wife. He said that God would direct my path so that I would find my new wife.

He was instructing me according to God’s word. He questioned me about the desires of my heart, according to Psalms 37:4. He talked about Genesis 2:18, saying that it’s not good for a man to be alone. He then instructed me to ask God through prayer to obtain the desires God had given me, according to Mark 11:24.

I obeyed the man that God sent and made a list from the desires of my heart.

I prayed over the list many times. Something inside told me that God was big enough to have heard me the first time. Next, I reflected on a message given by the leader of a church I attended as a child. He gave us the parable about the two farmers asking God for crops. The short version goes like this: one farmer prepared his field for rain; the other did not. The one who prepared his field for rain believed God would send it.

I prepared for rain. I got up from my kneeling position and started looking for the wife God had provided through faith. I believed that he had heard me and answered my prayer, according to 1 John 5:15.

After a few months of searching, I was introduced to a very beautiful woman. As I looked at her, I noticed that she didn’t fit the list. Brown hair was a requirement, and her hair was blonde. I talked with her anyway and later went snowshoeing with her. Soon after, I found out that her real hair color was brown.

Things started to get interesting. I began to ask her questions pertaining to qualities on the list as we would talk on different occasions. I would keep the list hidden and check off the qualities she met as we talked. She met or exceeded every item on the list I questioned her about. She even recited some of the items on the list word for word. I was convinced she was sent from God.

It was about that time doubt started to rise up. I started questioning God about many things concerning this woman. God spoke to my heart, he said, “Have faith.” I received that instruction with my heart and told my wife-to-be that I was going to pursue her like a man pursuing a woman for marriage. I think she understood because we were married soon after.

God is good. He put desires in my heart and gave me an opportunity to walk in faith and receive the reward. He gave me all 59 items I asked for. God went farther and gave me things I was thinking but didn’t ask for. He gave me exceedingly and abundantly above what I asked for because he loves me more than I can tell you. Practically speaking, the “chance” that all 59 attributes would be found in one woman is an impossibility, “but with God all things are possible,” according to Matthew 19:26.

Obtaining eternal life by human effort is also impossible. God made the impossible possible by sacrificing his son, Jesus, for you. If you believe Jesus was raised from the dead and was sacrificed in your place to forgive your sins, ask God to receive Jesus right now into your heart. Then confess Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior. It’s only after you receive Jesus as your Lord that God will give you the desires of your heart and the ability to fulfill them.

Brian Endle is a missions director at Palmer Victory Fellowship of Palmer. Contact Palmer Victory at pvf.outreach@gmail.com or 745-5045.

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