What it Really Means to Delight in the Lord
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.“
Psalm 37:4
Delight: “A high degree of pleasure or enjoyment: joy; rapture, something that gives great pleasure.”[1]
We hear this word often, typically in association with a sense of beauty and wonder. Delight encompasses a heart that is filled with gratitude.
The Hebrew words used to describe delight often encompassed a seemingly delicate, soft tone. The English word appears in Scripture 106 times, often referring to a biblical mandate to delight in the Lord, delight in the commands of Almighty God, or God’s delight in His people.
But if we’re honest, how often do we spend time delighting in the Lord? Or delighting in His love for us?
Practically speaking, what does it mean to live a life of delight? To know you are delighted in by the living God?
Delighting is threefold. It encompasses a journey from which we start with abiding in the delight of God. From there, we must engage in emptying ourselves to properly take hold of the truth. Finally, as believers, there is the task of actively delighting in God.
God’s Delight
We begin with examining the truth, which is both our firm foundation and our resting place: God delights in us.
We see this profound mystery uncovered in the Old Testament, in which Scripture paints for us a picture of God’s unfailing love. In exclaiming His love for the nation of Israel, the book of Zephaniah states:
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah. 3:17).
Certainly, we see this demonstrated explicitly in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you have heard this before, but it seems that we truly never outgrow the need to be reminded of the gospel. The art of delight is found beautifully entwined within the heart of the cross. The love of God is shown by Jesus Christ coming to earth, taking on human form, and dwelling with humankind.
It becomes apparent that God’s delight is found in His children. His love is not wavered by our ability to wander, as shown by the prodigal son. He is not distant or angry but desires to rejoice over us when we come back to Him in full surrender.
The Response
From there lies the question: How do we respond to God’s delight in us?
The first step involves the emptying of ourselves. But Why?
What precisely is meant by such a notion? To empty oneself is to forego our ambitions and desires and instead take hold of Jesus Christ Himself. From this place, one is granted a new outlook on life, filled with a fresh sense of beauty, where new dreams, new desires, and new ambitions are planted within our hearts. It involves not yielding to individual desire but walking in obedience to Christ, even if you do not fully understand.
Luke 9:23 states: “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
It is not the absence of beauty and healthy ambition but rather the fulfillment of it. And we are not left to our own devices but rather are guided by the power of the Holy Spirit working in every aspect of our lives.
Thus, in light of the delight God has for us, how He rejoices over us with singing, in turn, we can empty ourselves through obedience. C.S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity that this is the place we can truly find ourselves. He states:
“Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay But look for Christ, and you will find Him, and with Him, everything else thrown in. [2] (pg. 227)
From this place (through surrender), we are given the ability to pave the way for something greater.
Walking on the Path of Delight
Once we have been emptied of ourselves, we are given an invitation to immerse ourselves into a life of delight.
It is an art, one that encompasses all the aspects of creativity. Inspiration spring forth from the inward life to contribute to delight, but an element of discipline must be added to accomplish this task. In addition, diligent practice is necessary to bring delight to fruition.
The Holy Spirit works in the heart of believers to inspire within us a hunger and thirst for the things of God. Scripture says that while we were dead in our sins, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). And it is only thorugh the Holy Spirit presence that we can be made alive again. This is the inspirtaion within the person which causes them delight and rejoicing through Christ.
Discipline involves reading the Word and clinging to His promises is something that requires devotion to God. It takes a decisive element to bring “every thought captive and make obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 2:5) and to meditate on “what is true and pure” (Phil. 4:8).
How do you delight in God? Reading Scripture to get to know God and to seek Him in prayer, which will be further highlighted at another time. We are all unique individuals as well, and God speaks to us in different ways. For some of us, walking in nature, reading, music, or learning may be ways in which we can spend time with God, who longs to commune with us.
Finally, we must be diligent in practice. We must continually choose delight, recognizing it takes time to cultivate Godly habits. Discipline is like a muscle: it must be exercised to be strengthened. This takes time and practice, and we serve a God who is gracious and patient enough to walk with us as we grow.
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Maybe it has been a long time since you talked to God. Or perhaps you are not in a relationship with God, and you are curious to learn more. There is a beautiful life that awaits those who walk this path. Is it always easy? No. It is without struggle? Of course not. But He is good.
May you relish in the art of delight, holding fast to the truth of a God who lavishes his love upon you. And may it forever change your life.
Blessings,
[1] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/delight
[2] Lewis, C. S., and Walter Cooper. Mere Christianity. London: HarperCollins, 1998. 227.