Are you tired of pursuing something only to find it always eludes you?
It might be your approach.
For instance, are you tired of difficult circumstances and you just want joy? Don’t pursue joy — pursue the Author of Joy.
Are you lonely and just long for loving arms around you? Don’t pursue love. Pursue the Author of Love.
Are you tired of dissension, conflict, a “hectic” life and just want peace? Don’t pursue peace. Pursue the Prince of Peace.
Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. ” I believe this means make Him your sole desire and He will plant in you His desires and delight in granting them. I know from experience — and from watching it in the lives of many other women, too — that when we desire Christ first and foremost, we end up with everything else we wanted, too.
Matthew 6:33 says “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” (in other words, seek HIM ) and all these things — the joy, the love, the peace — will follow.
Seek and desire HIM, not all you want Him to give you. As you find more of Him, you will also find you need less of everything else.
I’ll admit, Ive often wanted:
- more peace in my home
- more joy in my heart
- more harmony in my marriage
And yet, as I return to a pursuit of Him alone, I become convinced once again that I have all I need.
Will you join me in this search for what we are guaranteed we will find?
Jeremiah 29:13 says “And you will search for me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.”
God, I want YOU more than success and contentment.
Now it’s YOUR turn. Leave a comment below, telling God you desire Him more than whatever it is you have been searching for and you could be one of three winners of a free copy of my popular devotional book, God’s Whispers to a Woman’s Heart. (U.S. mailing addresses or American Post Office boxes only please.)
Psalm 63:1 “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
Lord, I am sorry for getting so wrapped up in the events happening in my life and in the world that I forgot to get nourished by You – through Your Word. I end up trying to move forward in my own strength and collapse from exhaustion or discouragement. I love You, Lord, You are my Light and Salvation (Psalm 27:1).
In Jesus Name, Amen
Thank you, Terri, for taking the time this morning to share that sweet prayer with me and my blog readers. Psalm 63 is one of my personal favorites, as is Psalm 27. I believe you have a devotional book coming your way. 🙂 Please email me at Cindispeaks@msn.com with your current U.S. mailing address.
Sometimes, God – I make what I desire, even if it is Good, I make it God. I am sorry for this strong and strange replacement of you, and ask forgiveness in this act of setting up idols. Thank you for your strength and patience in listening, waiting, and being patient for me to come back to my senses, and wonder of you. Amen.
That’s a beautiful prayer, Sarah. Please email me at Cindispeaks@msn.com and let me know if you are located in the U.S. and if so, please provide your mailing address so I can send you out a copy of my devotional book.
O God, you are enough for me. Yet I let other desires creep in. Please forgive me. Thank you for using Cindi’s words to personally speak to me!
Thank you, Chris, for adding your prayer.
Psalm 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” The Lord is constantly reminding me to look to Him for my expectations and most importantly to let Him be my expectation. I will never be disappointed if He is what I am expecting. Lord, please be The Desire of my heart and my only Expectation. Amen.
Thank you, Karen, for these wise words. I know others will be encouraged by your prayer.
Lord,
Fill me with Your Joy, Your Peace and Your Love. Sometimes My joy, my peace and my love isn’t full. Yours overflows!
Janet, thank you for reminding us of God’s overflowing joy, peace, and love.
I’m glad I read your message today! It has helped me make an decision to seek HIM in a new Bible Study starting this week. I will have to give up the time I would spend doing something that makes “me” happy but realize if I seek HIM I will have more.
You’re so right, Carol. What we offer Him, He ends up bringing back to us several fold. 🙂
Father God, the desires of this world continually and constantly pull me away from desiring you & you alone. Like your word says, you are the bread of life, the way, the truth & the life, the resurrection and the life. You are the life we desire! Take away my desire for the things of this world that can never satisfy!
Beautiful prayer, Kelsey. 🙂 Thank you.
All of your prayers and comments have encouraged and blessed me so much this morning. I’m feeling VERY generous so instead of three devotionals, I’d love to give one to SEVEN of you. So, Chris Benefiel, Karen, Janet Kirkwood, Carol Furlong and Kelsey, please send me your U.S. mailing addresses, too, (at Cindispeaks@msn.com) and I’ll get a book shipped out to you this week. The rest of you, go ahead and leave your prayer/comment and keep checking back since not everyone is responding to my request for a mailing address. 🙂
We are moving. The house was sold and we had 6 weeks to leave. I wanted to buy a little house at least large enough to put my Grand Piano in it. Every time we thought we had a house that was just right, it seemed to be “snatched up” by some “fluke” just before we could get it. I finally hit rock bottom! Then I prayed to MY Rock, and said, “Oh Lord, You are my Rock and Salvation; the Lifter Up of my head! You are my Provider. So whatever You provide will be ENOUGH. You know my future, my frame, and my needs. I will be content with WHATEVER You provide because YOU are ENOUGH!” The next day God provided, and we signed a lease on a lovely little rental apartment. It’s not what I thought we would have. But it is ENOUGH. And it meets all our other NEEDS as well! Thank you, Cindi, for reminding me that God is ENOUGH in ALL situations!
You’re welcome. Thank you for sharing your story about how HE is enough, even when there are so many other things we’d like. There is beauty in simplicity and perhaps that is what He wants you to experience in this season of life. You are in my prayers today. 🙂
Dear Lord,
You’re very aware of my troubled surroundings and struggles I’m facing. Please forgive me when I grow weary and tired trying to fix what cant be fixed on my own, instead of letting go and lifting them all up to You. Lord, thank you for reminding me not to be afraid, but to Stand firm and I will see the deliverance the Lord will bring me today. “The Egyptians you face today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” Exodus 14:13-14.
Thank you, Kathy, for quoting one of my favorite confidence-bgilding and comforting verses from Exodus. That is a comforting prayer when we are waiting for God’s deliverance.
Please forward me your articles.
I am very sad now but after reading some of your prayers i feel enlightened.
Mumsie: I am unable to forward you my articles, but you can access any of my free articles at my website under the tab Encouragement/ Articles of Encouragement. Here is the direct link: http://strengthforthesoul.com//encouragement/articles-of-encouragement/
Lord, I want you more than fame and riches.
God you are great, everything about you is great. I am totally nothing with out you, I am totally dependent upon you in every area of my life. Come into my life and make be whole. Create that joy within me, to take me through every area of my life, on every day you give me breath. Only you God, know my strength, and my weaknesses. Help me to trust you in everything, for you are all powerful and knowledgeable, you know what is good for me, better than I or anyone else. Amen
Thank you, Natasha, for sharing with us that prayer. You are a wonderfully expressive writer, too. 🙂
Father God I desire you and need you every minute of the day! I cannot function without you,I cannot take a step without you…I love you daddy!!
Thank you, Raquel, for that heartfelt prayer.
Dear heavenly Father,
I thank you for allowing me to come across this webpage, Lord i thank you for doing a new work in me, i thank you for guiding my footsteps, Lord i thank you for provision, you are everything that i need, Lord you are showing me more and more each day to faith walk, 2 Corinthians 5:7, “for we live by faith, not by sight,” Lord thank you, thank you for everything you’re doing, everything you’ve already done and everything you’re about to do. glory to your name Lord God, glory hallelujah, you are deserving of all of my praise and all of my worship and of everything i can offer unto you. Lord i thank you in name of the Father Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen .
Theresa: I, too, am glad that you came across my site. Blessings as you wait upon Him to be your all in all. 🙂
God, thank you for new life after the storm. Hurricane Irma tried to tear us apart but as a community, your love has strengthen and encouraged us that you are always there. Romans 8:28 says you can turn all things to good for those that love you. We suffered loss but You worked it for our good to come together as a community and overcome. The love of Christ is our fortune. For his sacrifice we are eternally grateful. May we continue the work God gave us to do. Share the joy of the gospel. Jesus is Lord.
Thank you, Kim, for sharing that sweet prayer. I’m glad you’re safe from the hurricane and praising Him in spite of the storm.
I’m excited about knowing God especially in the new discovery of strengthforthesoul. I read 10 things Christian women shouldn’t do,and was encouraged to pray for others more than judging them. This morning I appreciate God for stepping into my situation with these words of pursuing our heart desire;I wanna know you more Lord, I wanna know your ways, I wanna leave free from sin and the desires of this world. My pursuit of finances and living in debt depends only on you Lord because “my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory” Philipians 4:19. And will not worry and stress over the unknown because Mathew 6:25&26 encourages me not to worry. Thank you cindi
You’re welcome. I’m glad you read my article, found my site and were encouraged. Blessings. 🙂
Dear God, I have always felt as if I needed a relationship with a man. Whether married or not I’ve always put my search and desire for love before you and sadly before my kids as well. Lord I’ve been reading more of your word and inspirational, spiritual and motivational writers and speakers like Mrs. Cindi and have come to find peace and strength in it, I can truly say it want be easy but I desire you and your purpose for my life and not my own anymore. Thank you Jesus for using people like Mrs. Cindi to be an inspiration to myself and others.
Thank you, Erica, for your kind words and your prayer.