A woman in one of my seminars shared that while growing up, she learned the saying “It must be a sin if I want it so badly.” Barring a desire that is illegal or immoral, I believe that God often speaks to us through our desires and longings. Desire can be a positive motivating force that determines an outcome. Without desire, not much will happen.
As I was walking through the park, I held up my hand and thought, my hand is probably the same size as the hands of Emily Dickinson, Mary Cassatt, Florence Nightingale, or Mother Teresa. My hand is probably close to the size of Michelangelo’s, or Georgia O’Keeffe’s, or the firefighter that saved the elderly woman last week. My hand is probably the size of Albert Schweitzer’s or Martina Hingis’s or Oprah Winfrey’s or Abraham Lincoln’s. In fact, we all basically have hands and arms that are not much different in size. What makes the difference between what we do with them? “Desire.” “Longings.”
The desire I speak of here is the same desire Jesus spoke of when he said, “Whatsoever things you desire when you pray, believe that you have received them and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24) The desire I speak about is the divine longing we feel—the drive which will cause us to overcome incredible odds and bring something to pass which might not otherwise have happened.”
Desire is one of the most powerful magnets of the human spirit. ~ Laurie Beth Jones
Questions and Thoughts to Consider
Regarding your desires, where are you acting like your arm is shorter than anyone elses?
If you were to have a confidential conversation with your most trusted friend or counselor, what would you list as your heart’s desires?
Turn up the volume of your prayers. Do you believe that God knows what you really desire?