FINDING YOUR JOY
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” [Psalm 16:11]
On June 22nd on my way to church, I stopped at the Dollar Store on Bloomfield Avenue to purchase a few school items for my niece. As I picked up a few note pads, one notebook caught my attention; it said on the front “Find Your Joy.” So I decided to purchase the notebook. Then, later at church, during the service, “The Ensemble” sang “Jesus you are the Center of my Joy.” I wrote the date and the title of the song on page one of the notebook and closed it.
How do we as “Believers” find joy? How do we trust God despite the turmoil going on around us? How do we go about our daily lives, when the doctors just gave you devastating news about your health? How can we experience true joy when we are faced with adversity? It is during the difficult times when we need God’s guidance and direction in our life’s journey. It is through our faith and trust in God, we can find clarity and purpose. True joy is a deep, lasting sense of well-being and contentment that isn't solely dependent on external circumstances. It's an inner state of peace and happiness that can persist even amidst challenges and setbacks.
There are several Bible verses that highlight the importance of finding joy in God. Such as: Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Psalm 32:11, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.” Nehemiah 8:10, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” However, Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This Bible verse emphasizes that true joy is found in God’s presence. It assures us that God’s presence offers fullness of joy, not based on circumstances, but rooted in our relationship with Him. It may be difficult to focus on God’s word when we are going through difficult times; but that is when we need to draw closer to Him. His presence brings peace and joy that transcends our understanding.
From beginning to end, Psalm 16, is a declaration of faith and testifies to a life that finds its ultimate rest in God’s protective presence. It speaks against the notion that security and satisfaction comes from material wealth or human accomplishments. Our ultimate source of joy comes from being in the very presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we can praise God during our adversities; it means that we have a close relationship with God, which brings a deep and lasting happiness that is not dependent on our external circumstances. It's a reminder that a relationship with God provides a joy that transcends circumstances and lasts for eternity. When we seek Him and align our lives with His will, He fills us with joy that surpasses all understanding and grants us the promise of eternal pleasures in His presence.
God is the source of life, the source of love, and is the only One who can fully satisfy our hearts. Therefore, even when our circumstances in life consist of struggle and suffering, this has nothing to do with the presence of God. The presence of God is still with us and is still dwelling in our hearts. We can at any point have the joy of the Lord. If we have God in our lives, then we can have joy. And if we have joy, we can embark on anything because even in pain and even in the midst of trials, we can rest assured that God is still leading us.
Faith Step:
Let us encourage ourselves in the Lord, when we feel like giving up, God is still championing for us to prosper. He is still holding us in the palm of His hand. When we feel like we are being pushed to our breaking point, or when we don’t understand why we are going through something we never planned on, let us seek to have our eyes open to see what God is doing. Let us make an active choice to have joy in that time. Our joy might be in simply knowing that we are in the midst of a hardship, but God has a purpose in it.
Let us Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, we are here before you with a heart full of gratitude and reverence, knowing that you are always by our side. O God, we are thankful for your presence that brings us peace and assurance. Just like a compass, you lead us in the right direction. Help us to keep our focus on you, to seek your wisdom and guidance in all that we do. We find comfort knowing that you are in control, and your plans for us are good even though sometimes we cannot see it. You are our provider and our refuge, Lord. “You make known to us the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Your blessings are abundant, and your love fills us with a joy that surpasses all understanding. Help us to continually seek You, to find our joy in you alone. We ask for Your strength to walk in Your ways, to live a life that honors only You. Give us the courage to face challenges, the patience to wait on Your timing, and the faith to trust Your plans. May our life be a reflection of Your grace, and a testimony of Your goodness. May we continue to walk in Your ways, always keeping You before us. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Written by Donnis Prass
On June 22nd on my way to church, I stopped at the Dollar Store on Bloomfield Avenue to purchase a few school items for my niece. As I picked up a few note pads, one notebook caught my attention; it said on the front “Find Your Joy.” So I decided to purchase the notebook. Then, later at church, during the service, “The Ensemble” sang “Jesus you are the Center of my Joy.” I wrote the date and the title of the song on page one of the notebook and closed it.
How do we as “Believers” find joy? How do we trust God despite the turmoil going on around us? How do we go about our daily lives, when the doctors just gave you devastating news about your health? How can we experience true joy when we are faced with adversity? It is during the difficult times when we need God’s guidance and direction in our life’s journey. It is through our faith and trust in God, we can find clarity and purpose. True joy is a deep, lasting sense of well-being and contentment that isn't solely dependent on external circumstances. It's an inner state of peace and happiness that can persist even amidst challenges and setbacks.
There are several Bible verses that highlight the importance of finding joy in God. Such as: Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Psalm 32:11, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.” Nehemiah 8:10, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” However, Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This Bible verse emphasizes that true joy is found in God’s presence. It assures us that God’s presence offers fullness of joy, not based on circumstances, but rooted in our relationship with Him. It may be difficult to focus on God’s word when we are going through difficult times; but that is when we need to draw closer to Him. His presence brings peace and joy that transcends our understanding.
From beginning to end, Psalm 16, is a declaration of faith and testifies to a life that finds its ultimate rest in God’s protective presence. It speaks against the notion that security and satisfaction comes from material wealth or human accomplishments. Our ultimate source of joy comes from being in the very presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we can praise God during our adversities; it means that we have a close relationship with God, which brings a deep and lasting happiness that is not dependent on our external circumstances. It's a reminder that a relationship with God provides a joy that transcends circumstances and lasts for eternity. When we seek Him and align our lives with His will, He fills us with joy that surpasses all understanding and grants us the promise of eternal pleasures in His presence.
God is the source of life, the source of love, and is the only One who can fully satisfy our hearts. Therefore, even when our circumstances in life consist of struggle and suffering, this has nothing to do with the presence of God. The presence of God is still with us and is still dwelling in our hearts. We can at any point have the joy of the Lord. If we have God in our lives, then we can have joy. And if we have joy, we can embark on anything because even in pain and even in the midst of trials, we can rest assured that God is still leading us.
Faith Step:
Let us encourage ourselves in the Lord, when we feel like giving up, God is still championing for us to prosper. He is still holding us in the palm of His hand. When we feel like we are being pushed to our breaking point, or when we don’t understand why we are going through something we never planned on, let us seek to have our eyes open to see what God is doing. Let us make an active choice to have joy in that time. Our joy might be in simply knowing that we are in the midst of a hardship, but God has a purpose in it.
Let us Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, we are here before you with a heart full of gratitude and reverence, knowing that you are always by our side. O God, we are thankful for your presence that brings us peace and assurance. Just like a compass, you lead us in the right direction. Help us to keep our focus on you, to seek your wisdom and guidance in all that we do. We find comfort knowing that you are in control, and your plans for us are good even though sometimes we cannot see it. You are our provider and our refuge, Lord. “You make known to us the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Your blessings are abundant, and your love fills us with a joy that surpasses all understanding. Help us to continually seek You, to find our joy in you alone. We ask for Your strength to walk in Your ways, to live a life that honors only You. Give us the courage to face challenges, the patience to wait on Your timing, and the faith to trust Your plans. May our life be a reflection of Your grace, and a testimony of Your goodness. May we continue to walk in Your ways, always keeping You before us. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Written by Donnis Prass
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