Let's Talk About the Desires of Your Heart

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 

We exist in this beautiful tension of surrender and free will. This means that we know we belong to the Lord but are also searching to use our free will. We’ve heard this verse a million times: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9). We take to heart the part that says the Lord establishes our steps. Yet we COMPLETELY neglect the part that says the heart of man plans his way.

How do we walk honorably in the free will God has given us if we are supposed to be living in complete surrender? 

Free Will + Surrender 
Living in this tension is a virtue I literally just recently realized existed (and now I'm coming to know is essential). 

God cares about your surrender. It is the most crucial part. Everything flows from surrender. Yet something the church doesn’t talk about enough is that He also cares for the desires of your heart. After all, He is the one that placed them there in the first place!

He created you with fragmented pieces of HIS glory that He longs for you to uncover. 
He cares about your desires. 
He cares about your creativity.
​Existing in this tension means, through prayer and supplication (the surrender), we have the freedom to make our desires known to Him (the free will). 


The Desires of Your Heart
Those dreams and passions that you have uncovered as deep desires in your heart were intended for goodness. If God placed those things inside of you that means He intends for them to be used, not forsaken. And it is not selfish to be specific and bold in your prayers!

He calls us into the throne room.
He calls us into authority. 
He calls us into boldness.

Through our surrender, that boldness is not only encouraged but honored. And it is my belief that through our surrender, the true desires of our hearts are revealed. 

These desires will be holy and persistent. That is how you will know they are from God. 

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

The Call to Prayer 
In Phillipians, God calls us to make our requests known to Him. Thus, uncover these desires, and then be persistent and specific in bringing them to God. Delight in the freedom of cradling these desires and delight in the process of surrendering them at His feet to be fulfilled. 

I’m still in the process of learning. I will be for the rest of my life, but I am so thankful for the process.

Imagine what it would be like if everyone walked in their God-given passions.
Imagine what would be accomplished in His name.
Imagine the true joy that would flow. 

​Haley Hill is a 2020 graduate of the School of Worship program.  She currently lives in Mariposa, California with her family.  In her free time, she loves to write and read on the beach or by the river.