What Do You Want?

Toys? Friends? To get something done? For others to be happy? To feel well? These are all wants, and there are many others, too. Everybody can think of things they want, because God made us with the ability to have desires. And He also knows how to satisfy our desires and give us good things. That’s why He wants us to ask Him for things we want. The problem is, most people want the wrong things. Or they want it in a selfish way. So even when they get what they want, it doesn’t make them happy.

In the story, Peter wanted to show his arrowhead to his friend. That wasn’t wrong, was it? But when Peter decided to have his own way instead of listening to his teacher, he began wanting the wrong thing. Soon his day was ruined because his wants were all selfish. Everything seemed to go wrong until he made a choice to want the right thing. Only when we stop being stubborn and selfish can God help us. That’s why the Bible promise is, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”* (James 4:6)

Another kind of want that God warns us about is called “covetousness.” That big word means to want something that isn’t ours, and want it so much that we can’t be happy without it. Maybe you like your friend’s bike or horse or toy. If you want to take it home and have it for yourself, that is wrong because you aren’t being kind and thankful. You just want to make yourself happy. Do you think it would work? No, because even if they gave it to you, you would not be really happy. Only God can give us peace and joy in our hearts, but we can’t have it if we are disobeying Him. “There is no peace, saith my God, for the wicked.”* (Isaiah 57:21)

God is the giver of all good things. If we ask God to help us want the right things, then we will be truly happy. That’s how Jesus lived. He wanted to please His Father and show God’s love to everyone. Even when He was suffering on the cross, Jesus wanted to forgive and help those around Him. And guess what? He got what He wanted! That’s because when we want God more than anything else, He can give us the desires of our heart.