Wisdom Wednesday: Dallas Willard on Desire
“We must try to remain aware of how our desires may influence how we perceive things, as well as our patterns of thought and interpretation. Many a bitter conflict among Christians could be avoided in this way.”
Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart, p. 115.
Many philosophers, religious thinkers, and psychologists echo the thoughts of Willard here.
What we want influences how we see the world, our circumstances, other people, and so much else in our lives.
In our polarized age, an age in which there is deep and often bitter conflict among Christians over theology, politics, cultural issues, and much else, one way that we might preserve unity is by asking ourselves some hard questions.
What do I want to be true in this situation, and how is that influencing my perspective and actions?
Are my desires formed by what is good, true, and beautiful, or something else? What role are anger, fear, or pride playing in what I want? In how I act?
How are my desires in my closest relationships (like friendship and marriage) shaping how I see the other person? How I treat them? How I see the relationship?
How are my desires shaping my view of God? Other Christians? Other human beings more generally? If desires produced by fear, anger, insecurity, pride, lust, greed, envy, or sloth are present in my soul, how can I address this with God and others?
These are not easy questions. As I type them here, I see that what Willard says above is true in my own life. We can start by acknowledging the actual desires we have before God (and others whom we trust), and then asking God to renovate our hearts as we more fully surrender to him. My prayer is that our desires would be shaped by the Spirit of God in us, for our good, the good of those we love, the good of our enemies, the good of the church, the good of the poor and suffering and marginalized, and the good of the world, all in service to the kingdom of God.