“The realignment of desire comes through the cultivation of holy habits of faith.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 13, 2023
He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! Psalm 109:17, ESV
For better or worse, we become like the things we love. This is a basic truth of our humanity, for to be human is to desire, and our desires give shape and definition to the reality of our lives. As the Psalmist reminds us, if we are drawn to evil and “love to curse,” this love will bear fruit and continue to grow, with more and more curses coming upon ourselves and others. However, the opposite is also true: if we delight in blessing others and pursue that which is holy and good, this too becomes characteristic of our way of life.
The challenge, then, for each of us, is to become more and more attentive to the true nature of our desires. What is it that you most deeply want? In truth, this may be more difficult to answer than we realize at first! We may be able to say what we should want or know to be right, yet if our lives have not been shaped by the values of eternity and the kingdom of God, the true desires that live deep within us may be out of step with the things we tell ourselves we desire.
In my own journey of faith, I have found that the realignment of desire comes through the cultivation of holy habits of faith that are able to withstand the ups and downs of daily life. We learn to truly delight in God by orienting our lives toward him through rhythms of prayer, Scripture reading, fasting, and serving others. These habits must become as central to our well-being as eating, drinking, or even breathing!
Of course, a genuine desire for Christ is not something we can manufacture or produce simply by pursuing a disciplined life. Delight in God is a gift of grace that comes from him alone and is sustained by the ever-present work of the Spirit. However, to the extent we are able, let us regularly examine our lives to ensure we have cultivated good soil that is ready and able to receive the life-giving rain of God.
Prayer
Father, our hearts are filled with many desires, some good, some evil. Help us see and know ourselves, so we may turn away from cursing and instead pursue blessing all the days of our lives, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Do you have holy habits that help to train and orient your desires toward the blessings of God?
Related Reading
Psalm 37:4; Isaiah 41:10; 2 Corinthians 9:8
Worship Resource
Vintage Worship: When We Seek You (Just to Know You)
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