Would This Delight You...?
Imagine a teenage boy asking his parents for an extended curfew. He's going to a friend's birthday party and the parents know there's some bad influences there. His normal curfew is 10pm but he is asking to be out till 1am. The parents know that is way too late, but he is negotiating with everything he's got. Finally the parents relent and compromise for midnight.
Technically the parents permitted this, but are they happy about it?
Did this decision DELIGHT them?
No. It did not.
The same thing happened when Israel asked God to appoint them a king.
"appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
That's not what God wanted.
God wanted to be their king and their God, leader, lord and savior.
He wanted to be their everything, but the rascally Israelites wanted to "be like the other kids", like the other nations around them and have a king too.
God finally relented and chose a king for them.
But did this decision DELIGHT Him?
Absolutely not.
God said to Samuel "they have rejected Me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you."
God will give into some requests in some instances, but it is always the LESSER version of the best plan.
As humans we are always want the "best" thing, but when we complain to God and water down His plans, then we are watering down the BEST plan and getting a 2nd, 3rd or 50th best plan because of our stubbornness and disobedience.
So the NEXT time you ask God for permission on something,
Make sure to ask God "Does this DELIGHT You?".
Then take a deep breath and wait and LISTEN.
See if your request is really DELIGHTFUL to God.
If it's not,
Then don't do it.
God deserves nothing but the BEST from us,
As He's given us His best in EVERYTHING,
Including his only Son who died on the cross a gruesome death.
When we consider the price God has paid for us,
Doesn't He deserve the best?
Doesn't He deserve to be DELIGHTED?
So here's how it plays out in real life...
As I go through my day, I'm always asking God what I should do and how to do it.
There are times when I'm in complete surrender without any bias...
Then there are times when I REALLY want to do something and I haven't completely surrendered but think I have. That's a bad combination.
So here's how that conversation goes...
Me: Lord can I do X? (Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.)
God: Yes.
Me: (Wohooo!!! Then... I feel like something is off.)
(Perhaps I wanted a "Yes" a bit too much. So I ask...)
God, would this DELIGHT You?
God: No.
Me: Really? Let me ask You again. Can I do X?
God: Yes.
Me: But would it DELIGHT You?
God: No.
Me: But You just said yes.
God: I prefer you not.
Me: (Eeerrr....) Ok Lord, You deserve nothing but the best. I'll only do what DELIGHTS You. Would it DELIGHT You for me NOT to do X?
God: Yes.
Me: Ok Lord. I will do what DELIGHTS You. You deserve the best.
As you can see, I'm wrestling with doing the right thing.
I probably really just heard what I wanted to hear.
But I had a little Holy Spirit gut check and had enough wit about me to circle back to ask to see if it DELIGHTS Him?
If I didn't ask "Does this DELIGHT You?" I would have done what I wanted THINKING it's what God wanted.
The question "Does this DELIGHT You?" is a GAME CHANGER.
It has saved me from a bunch of dumb moves where I probably made up the answer in my head because I wanted it so bad.
But for SOME reason, the question "Does this DELIGHT You?" seems to cut through the noise and get to the truth of God's heart for me.
I don't know how it will work for you, but I'm just sharing so you can try it out.
If in doubt, always ask "God, does this DELIGHT You?" and see what He says.
If it's not a resounding YES then you know you may be dancing with the devil so be careful.
This is simply a strategic question, not a rule.
Hearing God's voice is an art rather than a science.
You practice, learn and grow.
You make mistakes but you keep on trying and God will help you get better.
The worst thing you can do is stop trying.
I hope this can be a new tool in your toolbox to test the spirit to see if you're hearing God correctly or if your desires our shouting louder than God's voice.
"Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me only do what DELIGHTS You.
Help Your voice be louder than my own,
Help Your DELIGHT be my top priority,
Help Your will be my guiding light.
Help me make decisions based on what You want and not what I want.
Help me make you the center of ALL my decisions,
Whether it's small, medium or large.
Help me surrender everything to You.
Your will be done.
In Jesus name Amen."
Try asking this question once a day for a week and see what you discover.
Would love to hear from you and see what you experienced.
Cheers to DELIGHTING God everyday! ^_^
