What You Delight In Shapes Who You Become
Discover why the Hebrew word for delight reveals the foundation of a flourishing faith.
The righteous person is not described as someone who simply reads God’s Word. She is described as someone who treasures it. That difference is the foundation of a flourishing faith.
Have you ever marveled at how easy it is to make time for the things you love?
You don’t have to remind yourself to watch your favorite TV show. You don’t have to force yourself to spend time nurturing your favorite hobby.
You find yourself drawn naturally to the things you’re passionate about. And It’s the same with your relationship with God.
Many Christian women are frustrated that they don’t have time to read their Bibles. We buy a new study Bible, try a different reading plan, and tell ourselves we’ll start tomorrow. But Psalm 1 reveals something far more important than a to-do list for our faith.
It shows us that the key to a thriving spiritual life is delight.
The difference between “reading” and “delighting” is the difference between a superficial faith and a deeply rooted one.
Delight Begins With Desire
The Hebrew word translated delight is חֵ֫פֶץ pronounced che.phets. It carries the idea of pleasure, desire, longing, good pleasure, and something precious that brings deep satisfaction.
This word appears about thirty nine times in the Old Testament.
That is important because delight is not simply an emotion that comes and goes.
It is a desire.
It is what your heart reaches for when no one is watching.
The woman of Psalm 1 does not see God’s Word as another item on her spiritual checklist. She sees it as something worth seeking because she knows the One who gave it.
Delight is what we crave deep in our soul. The woman in Psalm 1 does not consider the Word of God as something she should do, but as a treasure that she finds dear to her heart because she has met her Maker, her Saviour and her Creator.
When something captures your heart, your mind keeps coming back to it.
What You Treasure Will Always Shape Your Life
Every one of us is being shaped by external forces.
Our thoughts are formed by what we see.
Our conversations are a result of what fills our minds.
Our priorities tell us what we value most.
Jesus said it plainly.
For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. -Matthew 6 21 KJV
Our hearts will always be a progression of where our treasure is.
Where our treasure is is where our heart will be. If the treasure is God’s word, our hearts will always be longing to consume it. We will think about it when we are driving, folding clothes, waiting in line, and even while lying awake at night.
When something captivates your heart, your mind keeps coming back to it.
When something captivates your heart, your mind keeps coming back to it.
God Wants More Than Your Discipline
Since childhood, most of us have been taught that we need to be disciplined.
But God wants more than your disciplined heart, He desires your affection.
Anyone can check the box after doing their Bible reading plan for the day, but God longs for a heart that truly delights in spending time with Him.
That sounds impossible when Bible reading has become routine. But the wonderful thing about delight is that it can grow.
The more you understand God’s character and who He is, the more beautiful His Word will be. The more you experience His faithfulness, the more you desire to hear His voice once more.
Delight grows out of familiarity.
Like good friendships, your affection for the Bible will continue to deepen the longer you meet God in His Word.
