Sweet Surrender

Psalm 34:7 – Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (ESV)

Most mornings I need a jolt (or two or three) of caffeine to keep me on my feet.

So the other day, I fixed myself a cup of coffee, poured in a generous portion of French vanilla creamer, and ran out the door. As I pulled out of my driveway, I took a sip. And almost spit it out.

It was too sweet.

I’ll say that again, in case some of you think that was a typo.

It was too sweet.

You cannot begin to imagine my shock.

Nothing is ever too sweet for me. 

When people are complaining—crazy people like my husband—about how “rich” the cheesecake is. Or about how the peanut butter pie in the Oreo crust is “too sweet” to eat more than a small bite, I’m the one scarfing it down. 

But, apparently, when it comes to my coffee, my tastes are changing.

And I know why.

I’ve had to back off on my creamers and sugars because my jeans don’t fit. It turns out that what you can get by with when you drink an occasional cup of coffee doesn’t work anymore when you’re sucking back three cups a day. 

So I’ve been weaning myself. Trying to drink my coffee a little closer to black. (Let’s note that “closer” is a relative term. My “almost black” is still a nice caramel color).

When I got home, I poured it out and made a new cup with far less creamer. As I sipped, I started thinking about other things I’ve been weaning myself from. 

Some TV. Some books. Some web browsing. Some crafts.

Not that any of these things were bad in their own right.

But they don’t fit anymore.

As I’ve chosen to respond in obedience to the call to write, I’ve had to make tough choices about how I spend my time. What used to be okay just doesn’t work anymore.

I only have so many hours in the day. I spend my days hanging out with my favorite little people and my evenings hanging out with my favorite man. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to write. 

But, to my surprise, I don’t miss the shows I’ve given up. And most of the time, my choice to surrender and spend my “free” time writing brings me joy.

I think this is what the Psalmist was talking about when he said, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” It’s not because God is some cosmic genie prepared to fulfill our three wishes. 

It’s because when we choose to obey, we find that doing His will fulfills us in a way nothing else can.

So what about you? Are you feeling led to do something, but don’t think you have enough time? Or will saying “yes” to Him mean saying “no” to some things you don’t think you can give up?

Can I offer this suggestion?
Try it.
Try it His way.

But be prepared. 
One morning, you may wake up and discover your tastes have changed.
For the better.

Father, Thank you for giving us the desires of our heart. Thank you for giving us more than we could ever imagine.

{Update: I originally wrote these words three years ago. Since then, I’ve dropped twenty-five pounds, signed with an agent, and sold my first book…oh, and I’m drinking my coffee black. :-)}

Lynn Huggins Blackburn

Lynn Huggins Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Her first book, Covert Justice , releases June 2015. You can follow her real life happily ever after at Out of the Boat.

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