I desire to do Your will, my God.

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 40:8, NIV- “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

We must recognize the source of our desires. Reading Romans 7:18 in Celebrate Recovery’s Step 1 this morning, I recalled a verse I read yesterday in Psalm 40. Paul wrote in Romans 7:18, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (NIV) King David wrote in Psalm 40:8, “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

Working on a project this morning, I “happened” to have the first blog I ever wrote on April 8, 2010, open on my desktop and the affirmation was, “I delight myself in the Lord and He gives me the desires of my heart.” I was reminded of why I started this process over fourteen years ago.

I am also reminded of Galatians 5:17 that “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (NIV) We are in a battle every moment between our fleshly desires and our desires for God.

The premise of Affirmations of God is that thirty years ago I was introduced to “positive affirmations.” I wrote and repeated what I thought I wanted, and I was shocked when they came true. Although I achieved my goals, something in my spirit was unsettled.

My affirmations were about what I wanted or what I thought the world expected of me. What I did not recognize, at the time, was that I was simply experiencing the battle between the flesh and the Spirit of God. Can we obtain the desires we want? Yes. Is what we want the will of God for us? Often, no.

Early one morning in early January 2008, I “heard” God impress upon me “Tom, every affirmation you will ever need is found in my word.” I wrote down my first affirmation of God on January 9, 2008. Capturing almost 30,000 affirmations since that day has convinced me that every affirmation, we will ever need really are found the Word of God. Even today’s affirmation is one I had never captured before. We cannot exhaust God’s words for us.

Day after day, I continue to capture what I call affirmations. I do not even think that is what these are. They are who God’s Word calls us to be. The more we desire God, His Spirit, and His will the more we take on the character of Christ.

There is a battle that goes on within us. This world of the flesh offers us many things for us to desire and want that are simply not God’s desires. God is not a killjoy. Although our flesh may fight Him, we do find what Jesus promised in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” (NASB) God’s abundance is contrary to this world’s abundance.

The abundant life of Jesus Christ is much richer and fuller than any of our earthly desires. When we first desire to do God’s will we find the abundance of a God filled heart. This is still what I affirm today, and I am thankful for the Word of God and the ways of Christ.

What will you desire today?

Today’s Prayer: Our Father in heaven please have Your Spirit imprint upon our hearts and minds the desires You have for us. Draw us LORD to desire to do Your will. Thank You Jesus for coming and giving us the abundant life. Thank You God for placing Your laws within our hearts. Thank You Holy Spirit for marrying our spirits with God so we may desire and do His will. Please create a clean heart in us and bring our thoughts to Your thoughts. In the name of Jesus Christ we do pray. Amen.