The Joy of His Presence

“Surely You have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence.” Psalm 21:6

There are days when joy is strewn along life’s path, shining in the sun. In times like these it is easy to be content. All seems right and feelings of happiness flood our souls. Truthfully, these seasons of life don’t require much faith, do they? How hard is it to trust in the goodness of God when His ways feel…well, good.

There are other days that are dark and gloomy. The sun hides behind dark clouds, mocking our faith. It’s as if we can almost hear the Serpent back in the Garden of Eden whispering, “Did God really say….?” Joy doesn’t come so easy in these seasons, does it? These are the times when we must choose joy. These are also the times, if we choose wisely, that our faith grows the most.

As Christians, we must never fall for the trick of preferring the easy above the eternal. In the midst of hard times it is sometimes hard to remember that His ways are higher. But perspective changes everything. If we were somehow able to rise above our circumstances and see God’s big picture, we would gladly endure whatever temporary trials were necessary to make us more like His Son.

So how can we gain this eternal perspective? One way is by the practice of finding joy in God’s presence. The more time we spend intentionally seeking God, the more aware we will grow of His presence. And when we learn to find joy in His presence, we are well on our way to living the abundant life that God desires for all of His children.

Dear Father, thank you for this reminder that true joy only comes from you and your presence. Keep this truth in the forefront of my mind, especially when I go searching for joy in other places. In Jesus' name, amen.