The End of Wanting

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. – Psalm 23:1 (NRSV) 

Imagine wanting something and poof! there it is. It would be fun for a few minutes. We’d soon become as miserable as King Midas. Or King David. 

After being accused of heinous crimes, David resolved to change. He turned to music therapy and wrote dozens of psalms to process a mountain of guilt. His greatest hit is Psalm 23, which celebrates the secret sauce of his redeemed life: the end of wanting. 

Mic drop. 

He could have said, “The Lord is my shepherd, my ultimate sugar daddy, so I’m entitled to everything I’ve ever wanted!” Nope. When the Eternal is your guide, wanting ends. 

Typically, from the moment we wake up until we lay our heads down, our minds are a whirl of wants. There’s always something to dislike or complain about, always something shiny to chase before it inevitably fades. No matter our circumstances, wanting can be as present as breathing.  

Wanting differs from pursuing what people truly need: healthy food, clean water, safe shelter, mobility, healthcare, education, community, love, support, and freedom from oppression, illness, and harm. Everyone deserves these. They have almost nothing to do with wanting. 

Wanting is that constant buzz of dissatisfaction; a quiet demand that life be different. It doesn’t take much reflection to notice that wanting is often running the show. It takes only a little more honesty to see that it’s also ruining the show. 

The Shepherd doesn’t lead by giving us everything we want, but by freeing us from wanting. In Her care, we are finally at peace. A settled and still soul is richer than any wish fulfilled. 

Prayer
If the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. If I want, who then is my shepherd?

About the Author
Matt Laney is co-Pastor of Virginia Highland Church UCC in Atlanta, GA and the author of Pride Wars, a fantasy series published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers. The first two books, The Spinner Prince and The Four Guardians are available now.