What does it mean to "delight in the Lord" (Psalm 37:4)?

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires." —Psalm 37:4 (NLT)

Does "delighting" in the Lord sound like some shallow Christian meme or something your church-going grandmother says? Well, it kind of does. Sometimes these churchy sayings get so overused that we aren’t even sure what they mean anymore. "Delighting in the Lord" is one of those vague terms, but let's try to explain it anyway.

Seeking Peace in God

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." —Psalm 4:8

When we try to find peace in the things of the world, we tend to get discouraged and often become discontent about our lives. We can't always control our circumstances. Possessions don't last forever. Human relationships are not guaranteed.

When we focus instead on the good purposes God has for our lives, then peace, joy, and happiness are so much closer. They won't be automatic, of course, but changing our perspective to a godly one helps us chill the anxiety and recognize that God has things under control.

Finding Fulfillment in God

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things [the necessities of life] will be given to you as well." —Matthew 6:33

Another part of Psalm 37:4 that's important to touch on is the part about the desires of our heart. Our desires are the things that drive us, motivate us, and lead us to seek satisfaction. Often, our worries and doubts stem from the fear of not being able to find fulfillment in the things we desire and work toward.

One of the things that can help us overcome those fears is aligning our desires with God's desires. When we know what God wants for us and seek things in the direction of what God wants, then we trade worries for faith, anxieties for hope, and discouragement for contentment. When we truly know and love God and His ways and choose to trust His guidance, our desires will begin to align with His desires, and we will never go unfulfilled.

Discerning Our Desires

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." —1 Timothy 6:6

We've all experienced having desires go unfulfilled. If you've ever felt like your life was over because you didn’t get [fill in the blank], then you get it. In the moment, it can be devestating when we can't achieve the desires of our hearts. Sometimes, it was actually good that we missed out on a thing. Other times, it feels completely unfair that we didn't get what we wanted. It can be hard to know the difference.

But you know who can tell the difference? God.

What the World Desires

Everything in the world—sexual urges, the pursuit of wealth and things, the desire for status and fame—comes from the world. You can’t love and worship the world AND love and worship God at the same time (1 John 2:15-17). You have to choose.

This is the lesson King Solomon learned in his pursuit of earthly treasure—that wealth, fame, and all the possessions one could want will never provide the satisfaction they promise. Even though he had "everything," he still wasn't happy. Everything was meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1:2)!

What God Desires

One day, the world and all its lures will be tossed out like garbage. But whoever chooses the will of God will live forever in contentment.

The Apostle Paul stated that he had lived both in need and with plenty. He knew what it was to be well fed AND to be hungry, but he had learned how to be content in BOTH circumstances. His secret to contentment was a deep, abiding trust that God loves Him, keeps His promises, and provides for all his needs (Philippians 4:11-13).

If we place our trust in God's provision first, He will provide for all our needs. If our desire is to pursue a certain career, then God will open doors to opportunities as move toward that goal. If our desire is to have a family, then God will build a family around us—even if it doesn't look exactly as we imagined.

To be clear, we're not saying to wait around for God to drop things in our lap. We are intentionally choosing desires that lead us toward Christlikeness, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), good works, and godly love.

If we truly place our priority on the Lord, chances are, our heart's greatest desires will not be possessions, status, or wealth, but rather the eternal treasures we find in following Christ. As our hearts' more minor desires begin to match up with His will, God may grant those desires too.

The World Can't Bring True Fulfillment

"Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." —John 4:14 (NLT)

This world can never satisfy our deepest longings, but if we choose to delight in God’s way, He will always provide above and beyond our expectations. Never once has God given me less than what I have asked for. But many times He has given me much more than I even thought to ask for.

We can delight in the Lord when we know that we'll never go without God’s best plan for our lives—even when that brings temporary suffering or disappointments. The more we come to know God through studying His Word, the more we will trust Him to supply our needs and find contentment in His goodness.

"[The] same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." —Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

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