Week 26: The power of desire and what it can make you do
S: 1 Sam 1:10-11
In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
O: Desire has the power to dominate your life, and is like a dream that does not go away. Desire is powerful enough to shut down almost all of your systems and drive you to unexpected actions until that desire becomes a reality. For instance, when you are really hungry, you have a burning desire to eat. For most of us, we cannot do anything well until we eat! However, unrealised desire leads to frustration which is by nature uncomfortable and disconcerting and can often be confused as a negative emotion. Hannah was frustrated at the fact that she did not have any children of her own. Her burning desire for a child led her to pray so fervently that the priest and possibly others thought she was under the influence of alcohol but she did not let their thoughts stop her. We all get frustrated at some point and we might even lash out. If we remember that frustration stems from a burning desire that is not being met, we can redirect our energy appropriately. Harnessing the power of frustration should push you to pursue your desire persistently.
A: Have you given up on your God-given desire because of frustration? I understand it can be hard sometimes, but let’s try to turn that frustration into persistence until that desire becomes a reality.
P: Lord, forgive me for giving up too easily on the desire you have put in my heart. Help me to pursue again, persistently the dreams you have given to me.
