desires out of whack? {tips from proverbs 4:20-27}

I’ve just felt off.

Ever since quarantine it’s like I’m riding a bike and the chain keeps clicking. I know the bike is broken but I keep going because . . . well, it’s just “easier” than fixing the problem.

But Proverbs 4:20-27 really opened my eyes this past weekend.

In just seven short verses, Proverbs quickly breaks down the path of progression for our lives.

Desires

We start out with the heart which, in Scripture, often represents our desires.

Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.

See, all sin starts with an inordinate desire (get tips on starting a Bible study based on the word “desire”). Adam wanting to be like God. Moses wanting the Israelites to BE QUIET JUST FOR ONCE. David wanting Bathsheba. Judas wanting money.

We think we can keep this desires tucked away in the darkness; that we are in control of them. But this isn’t true. We have to be so, so introspective in our lives. The moment we realize our desires are out of whack, we MUST chop it off. Pull it up. Get the icky, sticky, thick, overgrown root system out of our hearts.

Because from these desires flow the springs of life.

Speech

Put away from you crooked speech,
    and put devious talk far from you.

The Bible uses the mouth to represent our speech. After our less-than-godly desires take root, we start talking about them. Or maybe we don’t talk about them because the desire is just that bad . . . but our relationships suffer. We’re in a bad mood all the time because we know we’re failing.

I’d like to go so far as to say that this verse is even talking about thoughts, because this is where I’m at.

These desires are cute, fluffy pets at first that we take on walks with us everywhere we go . . . but soon we realize we’re the one on a leash. We can’t stop thinking about it, maybe even talking about it. We’re . . . obsessed.

Focus

Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.

Next, the Bible mentions eyes, or focus. My driving teacher told me that the car follows our eyes. Well, same in life: our direction depends on our focus.

Because we’re coddling these desires and because they’ve grown into obsessions we can’t stop talking or thinking about, our focus naturally shifts to these. The strange thing is that we can fall right into this and not even notice. What started as something good can morph into an “I can’t live without it” thought.

Intention/Direction

Ponder the path of your feet;
    then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.

So now, because our desires are on something other than God, and because we’re thinking and talking about it all the time, and because now our entire being is focused on getting that desire, it’s only natural that our direction (represented by feet) adjusts.

Humans were made to desire. But, above all, we were made to desire God. There is a natural progression of desire, speech, focus, direction because if it’s based on God we are fulfilling our life purpose and living like we were meant to. But we often start the chain out on the wrong foot.

Which direction are you going? I love the Bible’s command to “Give careful thought to the paths of your feet” (NIV). I’d suggest you sit down and look at all the things you’re doing and how it lines up with what your desire should really be. Why are you doing what you do? (P.S. Our free Intention issue is really helpful for this topic!)