Unfulfilled Desire - Crosswalk the Devotional - September 3

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [Crosswalk.com Logo]( Crosswalk: The Devotional [Devotionals]( [Newsletters]( [e-Cards]( Unfulfilled DesireBy: Sarah Phillips "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - [Philippians 4:12-13]( "For a long time I have not belonged to myself since I delivered myself totally to Jesus, and He is therefore free to do with me as He pleases." ~ St. Therese of Lisieux Do you have unrealized desires? They have a way of burning up our insides, don't they? Perhaps you wish to be married, but year after year remain single. Or you wish for children, but remain childless. Or maybe you want to write books, but never make any headway. Confusion and despair over unrealized desires feel the most intense when they seem natural and God-honoring. Doesn't the Lord want me to be married? Didn't He place in me this desire to be a pastor? Didn't God give me these gifts? So why do all the doors remain closed? I've been noticing a theme lately in the stories of revered Christian heroes. Most of them had personal desires that were put on hold or even went completely unfulfilled - at least from the outside observer's perspective. Some of these desires seemed especially holy. Take St. Martin of Tours for example. From an early age, this Christian convert's sole desire was to be a monk. But the laws in 4th century Rome required him be a soldier - an occupation that did not suite him well. Even after the military finally released Martin, his plan to dedicate his life to solitary [prayer]( never played out as he hoped. Martin's unique spiritual wisdom drew crowds to him and ultimately, the beloved monk was ordained a Bishop against his wishes. St. Therese of Lisieux is another example. This French beauty from the 19th century longed to be a Carmelite nun and a missionary. While Therese's first desire came true at the early age of 15, her second never did. At 22, tuberculosis limited her to her French convent. Why does God allow some desires to go unfulfilled? There's no simple answer to that question, however, I think it's fair to say that when good desires lay dormant, God does important work through us that might not otherwise have been possible. Paul articulates this when he is torn between two holy desires: a desire for heaven and a desire to continue to build up the Church on earth. Through eyes of [faith]( he sees how God can work through both outcomes. [CONTINUE READING →]( You May Also Like: [8 Reasons I'm So Glad I'm Not Married]( Alyssa Roat I want to speak up for singles who love where we are in life. People are single for a multitude of reasons, so I can only speak for myself, but I consider it a major blessing that I’m not married, and here are 8 reasons why. [CONTINUE READING →]( [10 Signs You're a Titus 2 Woman]( John Barnett You've likely heard about what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman. But what does it look like to live as a Titus 2 woman? [CONTINUE READING →](                       Bible Trivia Question of the Day                                       To what does Peter compare the devil? A. a snake B. a roaring lion C. an evil beast D. a bat [ANSWER THE QUESTION →]( [Crosswalk.com Logo]( [Read about Salem Web Network]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Email Preference Center]( | [View in Browser]( © 2021 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk.com - The Devotional. [Link](