HOW GOOD ARE YOUR DESIRES?

“And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her.”

2 Samuel13:2

There’s a narrative the world has developed in these present times. It states: “Do whatever feels right to you. Live your truth.”

It is a narrative that tries to use emotions and feelings to justify the desires of a man’s heart. The reasoning is, if you want it so badly that it makes you sick, or you feel bad that you can’t have it, why not just do it? Why deny yourself of something that you crave with your whole being? Why deny yourself of something that feels like your identity?

But can we truly live in this way? In the passage here, Amnon had a legitimate feeling. He had a desire that was so deep that it made him sick. And guess what it was? He wanted to lie with his sister. He basically ruined the life of a young girl because of what felt right to him, and if we were to go by the narrative the world is pushing now, he would be justified for his actions. After all, why stop yourself from getting what you want?

But as the aftermath of the circumstances in our passage, if you read that chapter, and the current trajectory of the world reveals, doing something solely because you want it, is one of the most dangerous paths you can ever take. The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9 that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Is that a heart you want to trust to make decisions for you? Are the desires from a heart like this what you want to allow emotional rantings convince you to follow? Do you see what the world is becoming because they are slaves to their desires? Is this the sort of life we should live? God forbid!

Left to our own devices, we ruin our lives. We do not even know what is good for us, so how can we judge which desires to follow? This is why we must know God in His word, in prayer, and the place of intimacy. Because this is the only way we can ever begin to have the right desires. It is only when we have consciously aligned our hearts to God in prayer and in His word that we can ever confidently pursue the things He lays on our hearts. If it does not align with God, never trust it.

Prayer

1. Lord, I pray for the Spirit of Discernment so that I will know the difference between what seems good to me and what is acceptable to you.

2. Dear Father, save this world from itself. We ask for mercy. Purge our hearts and let your light shine on our path. In the name of Jesus; Amen.

This is our first message for today. May this message bless you on your spiritual journey. Please share your thoughts in the comments below, and click here for more resources to aid in your spiritual growth.

Have a pleasant day!