Hello Wednesday!!! It's going to be a rainy day here in Houston....a good day to stay home if you ask me! I recently discovered a great website called Internet Cafe Devotions where they host something called Word Filled Wednesdays. It's a place where I can link up my devotionals and Scripture printables to bless others. I am hoping to link up every Wednesday in order to be accountable to writing at least one devotional each week. I also hope to create a 4x6 Scripture printable to support my devotional.
I came across this verse last week and knew it would be my next verse to memorize. Then I came across it again last night and God confirmed that indeed I needed to etch this into my heart and mind. Please feel free to right click and save this printable and then print it out. I have a simple white frame, purchased at Target, that I place each weeks memory verse in. It sits on my kitchen counter and I work on memorizing it as I wash dishes, prepare meals, and feed Karsten. I also write my devotional on an index card to add to my index card file, but I like having something cute to look on my counter. ***I'm also adding each printable to my Project Life album***
Here's the devotional:
Desire: To long or hope for
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him.” Philippians 2:13
Seeking God through a daily quiet time has consistently been a part of my routine for the past year. Before that quiet times were consistently inconsistent. I struggled to make it a habit—having an authentic moment with God one day and then allowing many days to pass before sitting at His feet again.
Last year I chose this verse to set the tone for the year. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you.” Psalm 37:4-5
I made a conscience effort to get up early every morning and spend time with Him. As I did this, my desires began to fade while His desires for me became my goal. Once our desires are aligned with His desires He gives us the power and clarity to follow through, to do what pleases Him. This requires that we spend time with Him every day so that we can know His desires for us. It requires that we surrender our personal dreams, plans, and desires and become obedient. His desires for us rarely allow us to stay in our comfort zone. He will stretch and challenge us in order that we fully rely on the Holy Spirit for strength and wisdom and it takes steadfast obedience to do so.
Last year my husband and I were waiting to adopt a baby. We didn’t say we wanted a specific gender, but both of us thought that God would bring us a girl. It’s what we had dreamed of for many years. When the adoption agency called late one evening and said they had a possible match for us I asked if they knew the gender. She said a boy and for the smallest moment I hesitated, but then I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to surrender my plans for God’s much better plan…His desires in place of my desires. As soon as I did that I had a peace flood my body, mind, and soul and later that week we brought our beautiful son home. There is nothing better than God’s plan for your life…His desires for us are so much better than the desires we have based on our limited knowledge. Our son is perfect in every way and the moment I laid eyes on him I knew that God has created him just for us.
What is your heart currently desiring the most? Is it to be married? To have a child? To find a perfect job? While none of these are bad desires I challenge you to make seeking God daily your #1 desire. Through the power of the Holy Spirit your desires will be aligned with His desires and you will then be filled with the power to do what pleases Him.
