What Do You Want?

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man [Bartimaeus] said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. - Mark 10:51-52

Imagine yourself in Bartimaeus’s shoes for a minute. You’re sitting on the side of the road. You hear that Jesus is nearby, so you begin to shout His name, and He walks over to you. And not only does He approach you, but He asks you this question: What do you want me to do for you?

How would you respond if Jesus asked you that question? What would you tell Him you wanted? Take a second and think about what that one thing would be. 

Okay, now that you have the thing you want in mind, I want you to ask yourself another question: Why do I want Jesus to do this one thing for me?

I’m a firm believer in asking a good question, but I’m also a big proponent of asking good follow up questions, for it is in the follow up questions we get to the root of the issue. It’s not just about identifying the what, but understanding the why. 

So, why do you want Jesus to give you what you’re asking for? Is it because you’re tired of waiting? Is it because you’re ready for some stability to replace the uncertainty you’ve been dealing with? Is it because you think getting this thing will make you feel special, happy, fulfilled, and at ease? 

Don’t get me wrong. Those are all good, reasonable desires to have, but you must be careful to manage your wants and your desires in a way that is in accordance with God’s will. As Lysa Terkeurst once said, desire is only toxic when we demand our desires to be satisfied on our terms and in our timing. 

In other words, the Lord knows you’re struggling with waiting, but He might be wanting to grow your patience a little longer before He gives you what you’re asking for. Or you may think getting this one thing you want will be what makes you happy, while He plans to give you something else that will make you even happier. 

This is why it’s important to understand why you want what you want. Because if you focus less on what you want and more on why you want it, you can trust God to fulfill that desire in the best way, on His terms and in His timing. He knows your heart better than anyone. He knows what you're craving, what you're needing, and what you're longing for. And therefore He knows how to fulfill you unlike anything or anyone else can. So as you consider what it is you really want, I would encourage you to ask your Heavenly Father to grant that desire according to His will, trusting that He knows what’s best for you.