Joy In The Lord

"For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence." - Psalm 21:6

Hey everyone! I’m back from my ministry break and excited both for what God has been teaching me during my time away and for what He has for me moving forward. It is that “what God has been teaching me” part that is the focus of this post.

In Psalm 21 David finds himself rejoicing in the Lord. He celebrates all the good things that God is doing in his life and praises Him for His goodness and faithfulness. Toward the end of the Psalm, he finds comfort and confidence in God’s power and the victory the He alone secures.

I have to tell you, my life has been lacking that practice and perspective of late. During my time away, I shared with a ministry friend some of the struggles that I have been having with people and ministry over the last several months and said to him that much of the joy of the ministry was gone in my life because of those struggles. What my friend was quick to point out to me is that my joy is not to come from people or from ministry, but from the Lord. That truth hit me like a ton of bricks. Though I certainly knew it, the reality was that I was not living it. I had gotten so caught up in the circumstances around me that I failed to find my joy in who God is and what He was and is doing in my life. In reality, I was seeking joy where it could not and should not be found.

I wonder, can you relate to that? Perhaps your life has gotten to where mine was. You have become so focused on people and circumstances and the disappointments that they bring, that your joy has been replaced by frustration and despair. Hey, good news! It doesn’t need to be that way. As David so clearly reminds us, joy comes from the Lord and His presence in our lives. When we look up from the problems, we discover that God is there, faithfully, lovingly working on our behalf. Even when life is painful and difficult, He is working in those circumstances to grow us and to mold us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29).

If your joy has been diminished or perhaps nonexistent of late, I invite you, join me in the journey of finding joy in the Lord. As you go through the day, take the time to reflect upon who God is and what He is doing in your life. Study passages like Psalm 21 that extol God’s presence and power in your life. As the hymn writer suggests, “count your blessings, name them one by one.” Write them down and rehearse them often. Make sure that a portion of your prayer time is spent simply thanking God for what He is doing in your life. What I’m discovering as I do those things is that joy is returning, not because my circumstances have changed, but because I’ve changed.

Listen, for the follower of Christ, life shouldn’t be joyless. God gives it in abundant supply as we focus our attention on Him. Let’s make Him our focus today and in the days to come. As you do so, I’d love to hear your comments about how God is changing your perspective and restoring your joy.