the desire of the righteous

Some decades ago, when I was still single, I memorized this verse because I hoped it would be true in my case:

The desire of the righteous ends only in good

but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

Proverbs 11.23

So what about this? Is it true? Was it true for me, under the self-serving assumption that my desires were those of the righteous?

Well, yes and no. It wasn't true in the sense of "...and they lived happily ever after"; that's just fantasy (The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks belongs on the "Fantasy and Science Fiction" shelf by my reckoning). But if I consider the goodness I've received, the proportion of that goodness outstrips the proportion of goodness within me.

If I try to count my blessings, the things I have to be thankful for, it's easy to lose count. If I think about things I wish were different in my life, I don't often list them, and when I do, it's not very long. Conversely, I can find weaknesses in myself -- that I were more diligent, more disciplined, that I had more self-control, compassion; more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and so on -- but when I think of my character strengths (which I don't very often) the list is not long.

And even the difficult things, the issues we've faced (and every real marriage has issues), those difficulties are helping us to grow in patience and compassion. So, as people say these days, "it's all good."

Even if I'm not.

posted 3/23