Delight
Merriam-Webster definition: n. a high degree of gratification or pleasure v. to take or give great pleasure, joy, or satisfaction
Last week I awoke to a text announcing the safe arrival of our newest family member. My brother and his wife became grandparents for the very first time! When I read his words, “Can’t wait to hold her,” I was over the moon with delightfor them, having experienced similar joy just one year ago. Texts and photos flew back and forth, carrying with them a sense of euphoria. As the afternoon wore on, I realized my cheeks were sore from smiling all day. To be overwhelmed with delight was a wonderful and welcome emotion that released a host of happy hormones. It’s been a year filled with disappointment and loss, and I haven’t felt that kind of joy for a very long time.
That may not be the emotion you’re feeling these days. As we’ve journeyed through this pandemic there’s been a lot of heartache. Perhaps you’ve wandered through desolate places, experiencing new depths of frustration, sadness, grief, or loss. Like me, you may balk at the prolonged restrictions and grow weary from the ever-climbing death tolls. Maybe you long for some good news, or you just want life to return to normal. I get it. What can we learn from delight?
When I was in my 20s I used to claim the verse, “Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). At that time the desire of my heart was to be married, and it was all consuming. In my 29th year I finally heard a still small voice whisper, “You are delighting in your desire, not Me.” Really? Was I? I was! Busted! Once I admitted the truth, I asked God to show me how to delight in Him and not in my desires. It took some time for new neuro pathways to form, but when they did there was a refreshing change in my perspective.
In sharing this recently with a friend she asked, “What exactly did you do to create those new neuro pathways?” I didn’t want to give a prescriptive answer, so I sat with her question a while. Plus, it happened 35 years ago, so I really had to think about it. For me, I believe it started with loosening my grip on my desire (to be married.) Desires are things we long for but don’t yet have. In and of themselves, desires aren’t bad. Quite the contrary; they can be good and God-given. But they’re not supposed to be idols, nor put above God, and I think that’s what I had been doing. I also think gratitude was key – developing the habit of thanking God for what I DID HAVE and for what He HAS DONE for me. Choosing to focus on those things helped shift my perspective. If it’s true that every good and perfect gift is from God, then I can look at my life and all that’s in it and find plenty for which to be grateful, much that’s worthy of delight. It’s good for my soul when I do.
Do you need a shift in your perspective? Is there a desire you’ve been delighting in that overshadows your desire for God? If so, admit it and ask God to help you realign that desire. Can you trust God knows your desires and has good gifts to give you?
Delight isn’t something we can fabricate. It’s a natural response to something wonderful that happens. What we can do is choose to look for the good in our lives, the beauty and the joy. When we focus on those things and give thanks, we might just be surprised by what wells up within us.
“Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ”
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ”