Delight in Him again

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
— Psalm 37:4 (KJV)

  There are seasons in life when the heart becomes weary in ways difficult to describe. Divorce had left me there. I was still walking with God, still praying, still trying to remain faithful, but beneath the surface there was grief, exhaustion, uncertainty, and a quiet ache that did not easily lift. I knew I needed healing. I knew I needed time. I was not looking for another relationship. Honestly, I was simply trying to survive the wilderness and learn again how to drink from the wellspring of life that only God can give.

During that season, I listened to a testimony from a woman named Charmaine while walking in the woods behind my house. The testimony itself had been recorded years earlier while she was still married, her husband had not passed away at that time. In it, she shared a promise God had given her on May 22, 2009:

“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.” – Isaiah 54:4

At the time she gave that testimony, she spoke the promise in faith, not yet knowing how deeply she would need it in the years ahead. But when I listened to it, I already knew her story. I knew her husband had passed away in 2017. I knew the pain she had carried through abuse, brokenness, rejection, striving, and shame. As I listened, something inside of me broke. I wept hearing the ache in her voice and the tenderness of God meeting her there.

Months earlier, after a consultation she had helped me with regarding detoxification, I received my very first text message from her. It simply said:

“Nice to speak with you and may God grant you the desires of your heart this New Year!”

At the time, I remember almost reacting cynically in my own mind: Woman, I am in the middle of a divorce right now, and I know God hates this.

I could not see then what God was doing. I certainly did not know she would one day become my wife. Looking back now, I can see the fingerprints of God written quietly across moments that seemed ordinary at the time.

A few months later, I visited her for the first time. On May 20th, after we had spent time together simply as friends, I prayed honestly and asked the Lord for wisdom regarding whether there could ever be any future with her. I was not asking God to bless emotion or loneliness. I genuinely wanted His will, and I believed I needed time to heal.

When I opened my Bible app afterward, the verse of the day was Psalm 37:4.

In that moment, what touched me most was not the thought of receiving the desires of my heart. It was the invitation to delight myself in the Lord again. My spirit had become weary through loss and uncertainty, and it felt as though God was gently lifting my eyes back toward Himself. Hope quietly began returning to my heart—not striving, not fantasy, not emotional desperation, but the realization that my life was not over and that God still cared for me deeply in my weakness.

The following evening, while watching Charmaine quietly prepare a meal, something unexpected happened. For just a brief moment, I suddenly saw her as though she were my wife. The thought startled me enough that I immediately pushed it away. I assumed my emotions were simply confused after divorce. Yet there was a quiet weight to it that stayed with me.

Then came May 22nd.

That evening I sat beside her as she again shared the testimony of the promise God had given her years earlier on May 22, 2009. As I listened, something deep inside me recognized the hand of God weaving together threads I could not fully explain.

I did not know then that delighting myself in the Lord would one day lead to the desires of my heart being fulfilled through the providence of God Himself. My heart’s desire would kiss the will of God. I do not say that lightly. I say it with deep reverence and gratitude for the mercy of God.

There are story upon story moments I could tell, small fingerprints of God that became stones of remembrance along the way. Even this very reflection is being written on May 22, 2026. A few weeks ago during her devotion time, my wife felt impressed to calculate the number of Sabbaths between May 22, 2009—the evening she received the Isaiah 54 promise—and May 22, 2026. Since May 22, 2009 fell on a Friday evening Sabbath, the count came to 888 Sabbaths.

I do not build my faith on numbers or signs. Yet I cannot ignore the tenderness of God in the way He leaves reminders of His faithfulness throughout our lives. In Greek, the name Jesus has long been associated with the number 888. Whether small or great, these moments have simply become stones of remembrance for us—quiet reminders that Jesus truly has walked with us through every wilderness season.

Looking back now, I realize the greatest gift God gave me was not merely the restoration of love. It was that He taught me to delight in Him again. Before He restored anything outwardly, He was restoring my heart toward Himself.

God is so gentle with wounded people. Sometimes His leading comes not through thunder or spectacle, but through Scripture at the right moment, quiet impressions, unexpected peace, and hope slowly returning to a weary soul. He knows how to heal carefully. He knows how to restore without rushing.

And sometimes, as we delight ourselves in Him, we discover that He was weaving His goodness through our lives long before we could recognize His hand.

He truly is near to the brokenhearted.

God knows how to redeem shame, restore hope, and gently lead wounded hearts back into life again. His faithfulness is deeply personal, and His mercy leaves behind stones of remembrance for those willing to follow Him through the wilderness.

Father, thank You for meeting me in seasons when my heart was weary and uncertain. Thank You for not abandoning me in my brokenness, but for gently leading me back into hope and trust. Teach me to delight myself in You above all else. Help me to rest in Your faithfulness and to recognize Your care even in quiet moments. Thank You for being near to the brokenhearted and for guiding my life with mercy and tenderness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

1. Can you remember a season when God quietly restored hope to your heart during a difficult time?
2. What does it mean for you personally to “delight” yourself in the Lord?
3. Where might God be gently inviting you to trust His faithfulness more fully today?