I have been in several conversations lately with people who are feeling stuck–finding themselves somewhere between being unsettled where they are and unsure where they are going next. It is natural at this point for us to go to God in prayer, but it strikes me that often our prayers are for peace and wisdom amidst the stuckness. I’m not saying that these things aren’t important, but I am wondering how often we consider that God might actually want us to be courageous and to ask him for the desires of our hearts in these moments.
In Luke 18, a blind man calls out to Jesus and gets his attention. “Jesus, Son of David,” he says, “have mercy on me!” Jesus’ response is interesting. He can and does show mercy, but ultimately he asks the man an important question: “What do you want me to do for you?” The man dares to respond, “Lord, I want to see.”
Jesus cuts through to discover what the man actually wants to ask him. As good as peace and mercy are, what about being healed? What about experiencing the transformational power of God at work in your life?
“Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.’” In this moment Jesus brings together His desire for humanity with the desire of the man's heart to be healed.
You see, this doesn’t just apply to our individual journeys but also to the communities and people we live amongst and lead. What has God planted in our hearts collectively? Ultimately, what do we want God to do in and through us? What are we courageous enough to ask God to do in our midst?
For many years, I have held back from asking for what I want God to do for me, not wanting to be selfish or ask for the wrong thing. I pray for peace and resist asking for outcomes, holding back the coming together of God’s desire for me and the desires of my heart.
The question I have to ask myself is, do I believe that this is even possible?
I get it. It’s risky, revealing, and courageous to say out loud what our hearts desire. Our instinct is to protect our hearts from disappointment or from asking for the wrong thing. So we ask for peace and wisdom. And not even a deep lasting peace. Often all we are seeking is enough peace not to be bothered by what our heart is longing for.
Instead, we settle for being unsettled.
Whether in our own lives or in the context of the places we lead, we cannot afford to be content with a peace that just continues to make being blind bearable. Sight may not come in an instant, but continuing to go to Jesus, bringing every situation and request to God in prayer and petition, will align our desires with the desires God has for us.
Jesus is asking us today, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Do you have an answer?
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