June 25

“...we put our own desires ahead of God’s....He never asks more than a person can manage because He gives the grace and strength to do as they are needed.”  Daily Readings of Quaker Writers, 6/25

When I woke up this morning I started thinking about some long unmet desire that can never be fulfilled at this point in my life.  I don’t know exactly why I began thinking about it other than that God was planning to show me something in my morning devotional reading.  After expressing to my husband that while I believe that God works out all things for our good, I added that I just don’t know what to do with the desire that is still with me.  Then I read the above quote and understood.  My desire in itself was not a bad desire to have, but as long as I put it ahead of God’s desire for me I cannot receive His grace and strength to let the desire go.  I’m sure there are many more desires I’m hanging onto and am putting ahead of God’s desires for me. I must be diligent to keep them in their proper place!  To truly want what God wants is an act of humility, and as we know, God only gives grace to the humble.

“For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:  ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”  Isaiah 57:15