the unmet desire.

Hello World,

It’s been awhile since I’ve been on here. A little over a year to be exact. I could make excuses as to why I haven’t, but I’m not going to.

A lot has happened since the last time I’ve talked with you. I finished my graduate degree at the University of Notre Dame with my Master’s in Global Health (so half of my year was consumed with classes and writing my thesis). I traveled to Nepal for six weeks to do a Public Health Internship. My beloved Coco (aka my grandma) went to be in the arms of Jesus. I started a new job in Disaster Relief and so much more in between.

The Lord has taught me soooo much in the last year. There’s no way I can begin to explain all that He has done (unless you want me to write another thesis LOL). But I am going to talk about what He has been teaching me in the last few weeks (or months).

Have you ever had something in your life that you so badly desire but God has not fulfilled it yet? What do you do with that unmet desire? Do you sit in it, wallowing in self-pity? Do you argue with God on why He has not fulfilled that desire? Do you throw temper-tantrums when no one is around? Or maybe you even get bitter or snap at the people around you that seem like they have what you want?

OR do you take that unmet desire and give it to God? Do you allow that unmet desire to bring you closer to God rather than push you away? Do listen to what God has to say in the period of waiting instead of trying to rush through it? Do you thank God for the season He has you in because He knows what He is doing?

I would like to sit here and say that I do the latter. I would like to say that I am always joyful and rejoice in the circumstances of the unmet desire because according to scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” But if I said that, I would straight up be lying to you.

Currently, I have some big unmet desires in my life. And if I am going to be honest, I have done all of the above: wallow in my self-pity, argue with God, throw temper-tantrums (some of these might have actually been around people), and I have even gotten bitter towards people that seem to have what I want.

However, God has recently lovingly and gently told me to knock it off and sit in what He has for me. He’s told me to get out of my pit that I have created for myself. He has whispered truths to me that He wants me to learn. So here are some things he wants me to learn (and I hope you can learn from them too):

Keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and the rest will fall into place. He has reminded me to keep my eyes on Him. He will guide me to where He wants me and for what is best. He truly knows what is best. Yes, I try to insert my own opinions on what I think would be best. However, that simply is not true. God see the bigger picture. We do not. He knows us so much better than we know ourselves. He knows how He wants to use us. So if we keep our eyes fixated on Him and who He is, we will learn more of how magnificent He is, fall more in love with Him, and follow the will He has for us.

Steward the season that I am in. One of my biggest fears is to get to the end of my life (or season) and realize that I have wasted it. And if I sit in my pity or throw tantrums on why I don’t have something, then that is exactly the path I am headed down. In His grace, God has reminded me that He has put me in this season (or not granted me my desire) for a reason. There are pros and cons to every season. I don’t want to live in the cons but live in the pros. So why not use this time that God has given me? If God is faithful and sovereign (which He is) then there is obviously a reason my desire has not been fulfilled. So instead of pouting, I need to stand up and act. I need to act in this season God had given to me and do what He has called me to do. Whether that is pouring into more people, going out to eat with people, have Bible studies, taking a class to learn more about a certain topic, getting involved in what I am passionate about, I need to go and act. I don’t want to be stagnate but to be moving forward in His will.

Stop looking so far into the future that I miss what God has for me now. This could, technically, go hand in hand with the last point. But it is so easy to look far into the future for what God has next. Whether it is a husband (or wife), children, being empty-nesters again, grandchildren, better health, a better job, or whatever else it may be, it’s so easy to get fixated on wanting that. Let me preface this by saying, that I think it is great to dream of things and explore the desires God has given you. However, the problem enters when I get so fixated on wanting that one thing, that it becomes an idol (replaces God) or I miss out on why God has me where I am at. God is so kind because He has reminded me to, yes, explore the desire He has given me but stop placing that before Him. Stop being fixated on that to where I miss out on what He wants me to learn and do with the time He has given me now. This brings me back to the last two points. Instead of being so fixated on my desire, be fixated on Jesus and steward the season that I am in.

God is good y’all. There is no doubt about that. He is faithful. He is true. I don’t know where you are at in life. I don’t know what your desires are. But God DOES know. He knows exactly where you’re at. If He knows the number of hairs on your head, He definitely knows your wants and desires.

So today, I challenge you. Submit those desires to God. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Steward the season you are in. Don’t miss out on what God has for you NOW. I pray for you and me as we navigate this. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would love to be able to come along side you as you (and I) navigate this thing called life!