Chasing My Desires

My childhood neighborhood was set in the middle of Central Oregon nothingness.  Seriously.  It was bleak and barren, I just didn't know it at the time.  We had a few trees to climb, rocks to use for building forts, and land for a few animals.  Homes were situated in the middle of 2+ acre lots (I just asked my mom) but our distance from town didn't deter 'drop by' visitors.  We had lots of neighborhood kids that lived nearby so we were never at a loss for someone to play with.  I have three siblings so there were very few times I was ever alone.  

There were a few moments, however, where I remember laying on my belly on our beautiful front lawn, separating blades of grass in search of the clover flowers.  A friend had showed me how to make bracelets out of the stems and it seemed easy at the time but I'm fairly certain that I ended up with more bouquets than bracelets.  

Eventually I'd run out of perfect clovers in the first patch and wander from clover patch to clover patch, starting near the driveway.  I'd work my way across the front of the house and around the corner, delighted with the array of beautiful stems that I was collecting. I moved quicker and quicker from patch to patch afraid of somehow missing the best blooms.  Soon I would find myself in the farthest corner of the backyard.  It was never my intention to wander so far from where I started.
 What had started as a plan for some fun ended up consuming me.  Delight had become an all-consuming desire.

My heart is prone to the same exact behavior today.  Something that is really good could be really great if only I had a little more.  And more.  And more.

This Spring I studied the book of Proverbs written by King Solomon.  These proverbs are written to people of any age and in any walk of life.  Want to be challenged today?  Read some Proverbs.  Verse after verse, and passage after passage talked about seeking wisdom, finding knowledge, and paying whatever price was needed to gain understanding.  The price tag is steep: time, energy, and diligence. 

However, when you flip that tag over the benefits are thick with promise: honor, grace, preservation, safety, courage, confidence, peace, favor in relationships, rest, and much more!

Who doesn't want a little more of those things?   

The unfortunate reality is that in our humanness, especially in this age of entitlement, we assume that these blessings should be ours for the taking.  Or we assume that other people who are blessed didn't have to put forth effort or faith.  

Chasing desire is so much easier than chasing wisdom.  When a desire wilts, you can simply pick a different one!   Easy peasy.  Now I'm not hating on desires.  Desires can be good!  Desires can motivate us to action and the right desires can bring so much joy into our worlds as well as bless those around us.  

We are responsible for looking at the motivation behind our desires to know if it's a good desire or not.  Is the motivation fear or anxiety, proving something to someone, hurting someone, hurting or neglecting ourselves for attention, protecting ourselves from discomfort,  getting what we want regardless of consequences, etc?  

Or are we motivated by exploring our unique personality, becoming healthier emotionally, physically, or spiritually, sharpening skills, blessing others, being challenged, strengthening relationships, bringing joy, or enjoying the fruit of our hard labors?   Just as an FYI -many of these motivations are a by-product of gaining wisdom and understanding in regards to our relationships with others and ourselves.  

While ignorance is bliss for a while, especially when it comes to changing the ink in my printer, the reality is that my wildly fickle heart gets me into trouble faster than I can even imagine.  It requires constant training and redirection and is a full-time job.
  

Proverbs 4:23  Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:13  Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her for she is your life.

Proverbs 4:25-26  Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you

Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.  

Two minute challenge - Write a favorite Proverb below.  Don't have one?  Go find one!  You'll be blessed- I promise!