Things I’ve Been Wondering, Part 1
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Things I’ve Been Wondering, Part 1
1. Questions Are Powerful
Have you ever asked a question? Of course you have. We’ve all been children before, and with childhood comes countless questions. But how do you feel about questions? That probably depends on the type of question and the motivation behind it. Some questions are designed to trap or challenge, but others open the door to discovery, growth, and even healing.
Questions have power. They can lead us from confusion into clarity, from fear into freedom. They can remove burdens and open the door to understanding. They can lead us toward health and healing. Questions can also take us to a deeper place of faith—if we’re courageous enough to ask them.
2. God Can Handle Your Questions
Whatever your question is, God can handle it. He created you. He already knows what’s on your heart and mind. Scripture is full of people who brought hard, honest questions before God—people like King David, who cried out, "Where are you, God?" or "Why do the wicked prosper?" David brought the full weight of his emotion and doubt to God.
The problem isn’t the questions—it’s when we suppress or ignore them. As Kara Powell says, "Doubt is not toxic to faith, but unexpressed doubt is." So express it. Wrestle with it. Bring it to God.
3. Where You Ask Matters
We also need wise places to bring our questions. At the bottom of the sermon notes, there’s a list of helpful resources:
bible.org: Articles, commentaries, and sermons addressing thousands of biblical topics.
netbible.org: A study tool showing the original Hebrew and Greek words with cross-references.
The Bible Project: Videos, blogs, and podcasts that explore biblical themes visually and theologically.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Google’s Bard: Ask biblical questions and get surprisingly insightful answers—with sources.
People: Email a pastor or talk to someone you trust. God often speaks through community.
4. Psalm 37: A Question and a Call
Psalm 37 doesn’t ask many questions outright, but it does prompt some big ones—especially verse 4: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
That’s a verse that stirs curiosity. What does it really mean to delight in the Lord? How do we do it? Why does it matter? And what does it mean that He gives us the desires of our hearts?
5. Don’t Fret About Evildoers
Psalm 37 begins with this instruction: "Do not worry because of evildoers."
a. Envy and Worry Are Distracting
Why not fret when evil people succeed? Because their prosperity is temporary. They may flourish for a moment, but David reminds us: they’ll fade like grass. Their pursuits are momentary.
b. A Long View of Faith
David invites us to have a long-term view. When our filter is fretting and comparison, we stay stuck in discontent. When our filter is delight in the Lord, we can see clearly.
Matthew Henry wrote, "Outward prosperity is fading. When we look forward with an eye of faith, we shall see no reason to envy the wicked."
6. Trust and Do Good
Instead of worrying, Psalm 37:3 invites us to trust in the Lord and do good. Trusting God means relying on His character, His plan, and His promises.
a. Trusting Who He Is
He is the I AM—past, present, and future. He was, and is, and is to come. He doesn’t default on His promises. He keeps His word.
b. Living With Confidence
We can dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. We can live in the promise that He has us, even when we don’t have all the answers.
7. Delight in the Lord
Psalm 37:4 is the anchor point: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
a. What Does It Mean to Delight?
To delight in something is to find deep joy, satisfaction, and pleasure in it. Delighting in the Lord isn’t a fleeting emotion; it’s a posture of the heart—a habit of being.
Matthew Henry wrote, "God has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, but the desires of the renewed, sanctified soul."
8. How Do We Delight in the Lord?
a. We Actively Seek Him
You can’t delight in someone you never spend time with. We cultivate delight through intentional pursuit—through prayer, worship, study, and community.
Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."
b. We Trust His Plan and Timing
Delight requires surrender. It means letting go of control and trusting God’s plan over our own. It means getting off the throne of our lives and letting Him sit there.
When we do this, we’re transformed. We begin to see the fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
9. Delight Before Desire
Desire isn’t the problem—it's the order that matters.
If we start with desire, we end up chasing what pleases us instead of what honors God. But if we start with delight in the Lord, then our desires are transformed to match His heart.
Delight becomes the filter for desire.
10. Final Reflection
So ask yourself:
Am I starting with what I desire?
Or am I starting with who I delight in?
When you begin with desire, you risk idolizing control, fear, or comfort. When you begin with delight, you find the joy, peace, and satisfaction that only God can give. And He will give you the desires of your heart—because your heart will be aligned with His.
Let’s be people who delight in the Lord and allow that to shape everything else.
SERMON DETAILS
Speaker: Ben Marshall
Series Title: Things I’ve Been Wondering
Sermon Title: Things I’ve Been Wondering, Part 1
Date: Dec 31, 2023
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Psalm 37:1–4
Jeremiah 29:12–13
Psalm 73:24–26
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