What do I do with this desire?

“Should I pursue more information for this, or just pray about it?”

“Am I being controlling if I pray and make a phone call?”

“Would it be better to chase down an opportunity, or let one land in my lap?”

When our hearts are set on walking the path that God has chosen for us, rather than going our own way, we wrestle sincerely between taking action and waiting in faith. If we take action toward a desire, we fear being too driven and manipulative, and if we wait, we fear being lazy and missing out. So which is better?

Matthew 7:7&8 have helped set guidelines for the wrestling match in my heart:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; 

seek, and you will find; 

knock, and it will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks receives, 

and the one who seeks finds, 

and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Asking, seeking, and knocking are all action steps we take toward a desired goal. 

Asking implies having a desire and having a question (or a lot of questions). Clearly, the question-asking begins by asking God, so we ask His Spirit for guidance and insight from His Word to address our concerns. We also ask Him to bring to mind people in our lives who have some experience and could be a source of wisdom for us. What are your questions about a desire in your heart, and who might offer wisdom about it?

Seeking isn’t an event; it happens over time. In the process of seeking, we gain little revelations along the way that either keep us going on a trajectory or provide pivots in another direction. It requires humility to seek, since what we find may be something we didn’t expect, and the cumulative discoveries may give us reasons to re-evaluate our end goal. Are you willing to surrender your desire in the process of seeking it?

Knocking implies arrival at a door, but knocking asks permission before entering rather than assuming a welcome. Knocking admits that the person on the other side of the door has the right to determine whether they open it. When an opportunity appears in front of you, what  assumptions might cause you to barge through rather than knock?

Notice that all of this exploration and forward motion still leaves us in a position of being recipients: 

In our asking, we are given to, therefore we rely on a Giver.

In our seeking, we find, therefore something pre-existing is revealed.

In our knocking, the door is opened, therefore Someone clears the way forward.

So as you pursue the desires in your heart, you can boldly ask, seek, and knock with uncompromised faith in the One who gives, reveals, and opens.

Additional scripture to consider: James 1:17, Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 3:6