A Prayer to Delight Yourself in the Lord – Your Daily Prayer – February 1

admin February 1, 2024 Article

A Prayer to Delight Yourself in the Lord
By Victoria Riollano

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

I have to be honest. There are many things that bring me delight. The sound of a baby’s laugh. The gritty feeling of sand under my feet at a bright blue beach. A warm hug from one of my children. The words, “I love you,” as they flow from the lips of my husband.

The smell of fresh brownies, the sound of my favorite worship band, and seeing long-lost friends can create moments of intense joy. The truth is, I have mastered the art of finding happiness in everyday external pleasures. Yet, when I first read the words “Delight yourself in the Lord,” I was met with unexpected questions. What does it mean to find delight or extreme excitement as it concerns the Lord?

If I can be honest, for many years, how I viewed the Lord at any given moment was based on my external circumstances. When things were going well, I was thrilled to brag about Him and tell others about His goodness. Yet, when things were more difficult and my expectations weren’t met, I wondered where the Lord was in this situation. Did He not see my peril or care about my struggles? In these moments, when I lost loved ones, when sickness struck my home, when friends were no longer friends, year after year, I made the choice to no longer delight.

After years of choosing to have joy in the Lord, only when He was following my lead the Lord brought conviction. My ways were like a child who loved a parent only when it was convenient. As a mother, this broke my heart as I realized the error of being a Christian who used God for his blessings but rejected Him when corrections or even trials arose. This is not delighting in the Lord.

Today, my prayer for you is that you find your joy in the Lord. No matter what the situation looks like around you, you make the choice to run to Him. I have found over and over that when we choose to love the Lord not for what He can do or is doing in our lives but for the essence of who He is, we can’t help but delight in Him. He is the one who gave us breath in our bodies. He is the one who knows our thoughts and who has a plan for our lives. He is the one who died for us that we may have eternal life. The Lord is a constant, our comfort, and though He is majestic enough to put the stars in the sky, He calls us friends. This, my friend, should bring us unspeakable joy.

Let’s pray.

Lord, I thank You for who You are. I praise Your wonderful works. For You are the Creator of all, yet so intimately near. Forgive me for the times that I’ve made You an afterthought. Teach me to come to You with the humility and joy of a child. God, convict me when I become more excited about worldly pleasures than following Your will. Father, I delight in You. Help me to never forget just how good You are. May I delight in You all the days of my life! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Victoria Riollano is an author, blogger, and speaker. As a mother of seven, military spouse, Psychology professor and minister’s wife, Victoria has learned the art of balancing family and accomplishing God’s ultimate purpose for her life. Recently, Victoria released a parenting book called Warrior Mother: Equipping Your Heart to Fight for Your Family’s Faith. This book empowers mothers to find strength in trusting the Lord with their children. Ultimately, her desire is to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. She believes that with Christ we can live a life that is ALWAYS winning. You can learn more about her ministry at victoryspeaks.org.

Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week, she gives you practical, real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day, click below!