“We come into the world longing for we know not what. We are desire. And desire is good, for it’s what takes us to God. But our desire is not hard-wired to God,” says Gil Baile.
Babies live by their basic desires either to be fed or cleaned up so they can be comfortable. But as they grow up they look to others to see what they should desire. Just watch children playing with some toys. A toy can sit not being noticed for a long time, but let one child pick it up and enjoy that toy, and almost immediately the other children will want it, too.
We adults also look to others to teach us what to desire. Several years ago I was at a garage sale. There was a tool that looked like it was priced very reasonably and I commented to one of the other folks at the sale, who was standing nearby not appearing to be very interested, “Wow, that’s a great price on that saw.” You know what happened next. Immediately, his nonchalance became intense interest, and since he was there before me, he drove off with a table saw that five minutes earlier he couldn’t have given two hoots about.
The whole advertising industry is built around this dynamic. We see the enjoyment someone experiences by having or doing something and we crave the same thing, immediately planning how we, too, can fulfill our desire for it.
This constant effort to arouse our desire and capture it can be described only as an assault. From the time we get up to the time we go to bed, we are inundated with one underlying message; “It can be yours.” The life you are longing for is available, only buy this product, see this movie, drive this car, take this vacation, etc.
The evil one has basically two ploys. If he cannot get us to kill our hearts and bury our desire, then he is delighted to seduce our desire into a trap. Once we give over our desire for life to any object other than God, we become ensnared. We become slaves to any number of things, which at the outset we thought would serve us but in the end control us. And so addictions are born and ruin our lives.
“Our addictions are our own worst enemies. They enslave us with chains of our own making and yet that, paradoxically, are virtually beyond our control. Addiction also makes idolaters of us all, because it forces us to worship these objects of attachment, thereby preventing us from truly, freely loving God and one another.” Addiction and Grace
We are designed to desire, we just need direction as to what will truly satisfy without enslaving. Look for someone who enjoys a personal relationship with God and see for yourself if their desires are being satisfied. Let their satisfaction fuel your desire for Him, Who alone can quench your thirst for Living Water.
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the “desires” of your heart.”
