Delight in the Lord

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:3-6 NIV

Having faith in God in a world where wickedness sometimes seems to pay handsome dividends is not easy. This is so especially when there are two opposing natures battling within. Paul described this in Galatians 5:17; “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.” One of those natures is what Paul described as “Spirit.” The heart of the Spirit desires godly things (see Galatians 5:22-23). The other is the heart of the flesh and it contains evil desires (see Galatians 5:19-21). These two natures constantly struggle against each other to be in charge. This is not a new thing for David dealt with this struggle. From the text, David provided principles that will help us to delight in godly things and not the evil ones. It begins with having a strong faith in the Lord, “Trust in the Lord” that leads to living a godly life, “and do good.” Then, it is important to be mindful of biblical boundaries where you “dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” Realize that security is found in being in the center of God’s will. Find in God the source of happiness and joy and not in material possessions, “Take delight in the Lord.” Turn over to the Lord your whole life—all your desires, problems, anxieties. Let the Lord determine what your life is to be; “Commit your way to the Lord.” To be righteous is to trust alone in the Lord. The one who delights in the Lord is the one whose life is committed in His ways and under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Blessings,