Getting Our Heart's Desire

It’s not a part of the natural man to pray. ~ My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Today’ reading asks the question “What’s the good of prayer?”

We have so distorted the purpose of prayer that it has become a form of genie-in-a-bottle request. It’s as if we believe that God is up there on His throne just waiting for us to tell Him what we want, so that He can grant our wish and fill our every desire.

Mark 11:24 So listen to what I’m saying: Whatever you pray for or ask from God, believe that you’ll receive it and you will. (VOICE)

So if we just believe God wants to give us what we want we will get it? That’s not exactly how it works.

But... the Bible tells us that God wants to give us the desires of our heart. Right? Well yes, it does. But like man tends to do most of the time, the truth is “spun” to mean what we would like it to mean. Scripture cannot be dissected and used for our purpose. God gave it to us so that we may know Him and His purpose.

Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (NLV)

What does that even mean? Does God want to give me what I want or doesn’t He? I think the same verse taken from The Voice gives us a better understanding of its meaning.


Psalm 37:4 Take great joy in the Eternal! His gifts are coming, and they are all your heart desires! (VOICE)

God gave us prayer so that we may communicate with Him. Communication involves speaking and listening. It is vital to a relationship. The more we pray and read His word, the more we know Him. Our desires will become more in line with what He desires for us - and His desire for us is so better than the material things our heart may lust after. He knows what is best for us and He also knows the “big picture.”

Sometimes even the good things we ask for, we don’t receive. These things may not be in His will. They may not be what is best for someone else. That is why we pray “in God’s will.” Then we trust the outcome to Him.

Prayer is not a question of altering things externally, but of working wonders in a man’s disposition. ~My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Is the desire of your heart to know God?