Today's
scripture: Psalm 16:11
A couple of days ago, I wrote about hearing God's voice. He really does speak to us when we call on Him. So many verses state that we can call upon God, and He will answer (Jeremiah 29:12; Psalm 91:15, just to name two ...).
God will show us His plans for our lives. If we focus on Him and desire His will, He will "show [us] the path of life ..." He will give us what we need and what we desire because what we desire will be what He desires for us.
When we follow God's uniquely-designed paths for each of us, we will find joy—true, deep-in-the-heart joy. In fact, I submit that we can't find that true joy apart from Him. One of the topics about which I speak is entitled "Arresting the Joy-stealers." I talk about how this world is full of things that want to steal our God-given joy. I often say something like:
A couple of days ago, I wrote about hearing God's voice. He really does speak to us when we call on Him. So many verses state that we can call upon God, and He will answer (Jeremiah 29:12; Psalm 91:15, just to name two ...).
God will show us His plans for our lives. If we focus on Him and desire His will, He will "show [us] the path of life ..." He will give us what we need and what we desire because what we desire will be what He desires for us.
When we follow God's uniquely-designed paths for each of us, we will find joy—true, deep-in-the-heart joy. In fact, I submit that we can't find that true joy apart from Him. One of the topics about which I speak is entitled "Arresting the Joy-stealers." I talk about how this world is full of things that want to steal our God-given joy. I often say something like:
We who know God experience the greatest joy possible because we are able to stand in the presence of God Himself, and as the psalmist wrote, in His “presence is fullness of joy.” Our hearts can’t be truly joyful apart from God.
When we come to know God through the salvation of His Son, Jesus Christ, He promises that we will be filled with joy. The apostle Paul wrote that followers of Christ are given the Holy Spirit to help us walk through every day, and the Spirit helps us to live lives of joy: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23a).
God designed an incredible world for us, His beloved children. Flowers and sunsets, fluffy clouds and gentle rains, majestic mountains and calming seas. Beauty is all around us. Family and friends and children. God provided people to love and to love us. In these things, in these people, we find joy. Sometimes it’s the big things that bring us joy: weddings, graduations, holidays, reunions. Other times, it’s walking along hand-in-hand with our favorite person or seeing the wag-tailed welcome from our favorite pets. We can find joy anywhere . . . if we only seek it.
Yes, joy is everywhere, but again true joy cannot be found without God. True joy is found when we know that we have been saved by God’s grace through the acceptance of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. Throughout the Scriptures, we see evidence of the joy that comes by knowing God.
Do you live in that kind of joy? Are you confident walking God's "path of
life" in "fullness of joy"? Submit your life to Him. Give Him
everything.
He will fill you with true, deep-in-the-heart joy. Really. He will.
He will fill you with true, deep-in-the-heart joy. Really. He will.
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