Captured Hearts

“Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:4–5)

After losing a family dog the second time, I had no desire for another one. But months later, to my surprise, my heart longed for a dog. My husband and I arrived at the animal rescue center, hoping to find a cocker spaniel, but not solidly bent in that direction. The only bent we had was not to have a nervous, licking, barking dog. We walked from kennel to kennel, trusting we would know the right one when we saw it. After viewing each one, we repeated our “interview.” The dogs were leaping up with paws on their gate by this time, barking excitedly—except for two. The last dog remained motionless, angrily glaring at us, while the first one we saw was still calmly and silently standing, slightly wagging his nub tail. This peculiar-looking little fellow had followed our every move with his sad but hopeful eyes and did not move until I extended my hand. Walking over to feel the touch of my fingers through the fenced gate sealed it—he captured our hearts. That day we became proud owners of a short, seven-month-old spaniel/dachshund mix dog.

What is the secret to getting what you want? The psalmist tells a simple truth: With a sincere heart, desire what God wants for you. If your desire is in keeping with His will, He said you would have it. You may be thinking, Really, a dog? Yes, even a dog. God knows everything we need to become who He called us to be for His purposes. With love and compassion, He not only supplies what we need but far surpasses those needs with an abundance of blessings—some sweet as lollipops, like a dog. As you commit yourself to God, seek what He wants, and say, “Father, not my will, but Yours.” When you do, you will receive His best.