What is the deepest desire of your heart? What do you long for at the core of your being?
Do you covet a marriage that is solid and makes you happy? To be loved unconditionally? Or to find the perfect job that you enjoy? What about good health and long life with the vitality of youth?
Do you yearn for a world without crime or a government without corruption? Do you relish peace without fear, anxiety, guilt, shame or dread?
To have such noble desires is not necessarily a bad thing – unless they consume a person, and these desires become the all-important goal in life with no time to enjoy life. When we let worldly desires drive us to satisfy our deepest desires for the moment at hand, we scatter our energy to the wind. It’s like chasing after perfection in a fallen world. That makes as much sense as trying to swat a gnat when there’s a lion in the room ready to pounce. If the goal is to have our deepest desires, our perfect idealism, met in a flawless fashion in a dying world, it aint gonna happen.
There’s a difference between wanting to achieve our deepest desires, noble as they may be, and doing one’s best for whatever task is at hand, even though it may go unnoticed. In the first scenario, Self is the proprietor in the business of having everything perfectly aligned to our pre-set standards. In other words, outside show ‘n’tell while the inner person is still empty. The second scenario portrays Self as the worker who strives after inner growth of characteter – doing his utmost for the sheer satisfaction of doing the best he can with what he has to work with.
Here’s wisdom that may re-direct our deepest desires away from the vanity of perfection in this world to the surety of perfection in God’s eternal kingdom. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-7
To reiterate the Preacher’s words in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandment, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, inclurding every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Doesn’t it make sense, therefore, to seek the face of God and let that become our deepest desire? To know Him in His perfection?