“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
God has blessed me with so many good things: a safe place to live, food to eat, people to love and serve.
Yet if I’m being really honest with you, I always seem to desire more: a marriage with a good man, a pretty house, a career I love that pays the bills, perfect friendships … The list goes on.
Recently, while I thought about all my unmet desires, a sarcastic laugh bubbled up. God, You said You would give me the desires of my heart.
But here I am, juggling a couple of jobs while writing on the side. My mornings start early. My old, white fridge could die any day. At times, I still struggle with body image and friendships.
In my frustration, I read the Bible passage where I thought God had promised to give me the desires of my heart:
“Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD …” (Psalm 37:3-5, NIV).
God calls us to trust, delight, and commit. Understanding this changed my perspective and gave me peace during a season of discontentment.
“Trust in the LORD and do good.”
This verse doesn’t say, “Trust in your plans and do good.” We are called to trust in the Lord and let God be sovereign over it all. Even when we don’t understand the chapter, we can trust that the Author of our story is good. And while we wait on blessings, instead of wishing for more, we can be a blessing to others.
“Take delight in the LORD.”
When we delight in God, we care more about what makes His Kingdom grow than what makes our happiness grow, and loving Him helps us remember our lives were never meant to be all about ourselves. We can find His presence and joy in big and little moments: getting coffee with a friend, celebrating with our child when they pass a hard test, or enjoying cool shade on a hot day.
“Commit your way to the LORD.”
Our commitment to Christ means our lives are no longer our own. We now have a purpose and meaning beyond life going our way. As a result, His joy shines bright in us like the morning sun. He gives us peace during chaos and unexpected hardships.
It’s my prayer that we’ll desire more of Jesus because when we trust, delight in, and commit to Him, we find peace in His plan … even when life isn’t going how we dreamt it would.
Lord, help me to focus more on You and less on my unmet desires. May my ultimate desire always be for Your will and Your glory. When I'm struggling with contentment, remind me that You are good and are working for my good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Grace Valentine’s newest book, The Better Friend, includes 12 truths to help you transform shallow and one-sided relationships into vibrant friendships. You’ll learn through Scripture and truth how to be a better friend and create the community and relationships God intended us to have. You can purchase your copy here!
For more encouragement from Grace Valentine, follow her on Instagram @thegracevalentine. Her website is www.gracevalentine.org.
Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).
How can you remind yourself that God is working for your good? If we delight in the Lord, how does this change what “good” looks like in our lives? We'd love to hear from you in the comments!
© 2025 by Grace Valentine. All rights reserved.
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