Our Desire Affects Others

Our Desires Affect Others

By Angel Diane

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do; he will establish your plans.”

(Proverbs 16:3 NIV)

My dream last night was of a beautiful coastal island that I had always thought would be a perfect place to live. The surf was serene and inviting as the waves slowly crashed upon the sand. The island was not inhabited by many people but seemed teeming with luxurious foliage and beautiful island animals.

In the dream, the island's allure was calling me to come and explore it, to find my perfect piece of paradise. I would finally own a piece of heaven on earth that I had dreamed of for years.

My husband and daughter were along beside me to explore this gorgeous island and find a place for our new dream home.

But as we got deeper into the deserted island, someone came up behind us and kidnapped my husband and daughter while I gazed at the beautiful water. As I turned to see them being hauled away, I was mortified.

I spent the rest of the dream desperately searching for and rescuing my family. I forgot about a perfect coastal dream home and now only desired to have my family back safe and sound.

As I awoke from this dream that started as a beautiful answer to prayer but quickly became a horrible nightmare, I contemplated before the Lord to tell me what the dream meant.

His interpretation impressed me in my spirit: "Be careful of how your seemingly innocent wants and desires might affect other people.”

That morning, I spent a few minutes thinking about how my decisions could adversely affect my husband and daughter over the years. Also, how decisions they have made for their own lives have cost me peace and sanity.

Could this be why we have unanswered prayers in our lives? Maybe a coastal home would be perfect for me, but if we had moved to the coast, our daughter might not have met her wonderful husband because he did not live there.

Of course, that is just a hypothetical thought. But it is an excellent example of how my desire for what I want could negatively or adversely affect my family’s future.

Living on the coast is a good thing, but NOT being in the right place at the right time is not!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I lay my plans before you, and I ask you to mold and shape my desires into your goals for my life. Any decision I make with my passions, I invite you to tweak with your knowledge and wisdom. Develop them into the perfect plan to make sure it is also a blessing to my family.

Through Your Eyes: What plans have you wished you would have trusted God with before you acted on them? What methods will you commit to seeking his counsel in the future?