JANUARY 6
Psalm 4:4, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”
One of the great mysteries of our time is the fact that so many of our fellow citizens are unhappy and even miserable despite living in the most free and prosperous country in the world’s history. Though most live according to a “whatever makes you happy” way of thinking, one in five Americans consider themselves “very dissatisfied” with their lives.
A part of the problem is the thinking that happiness can be had apart from God. In that respect, it’s important to distinguish between happiness and joy. Happiness is related to the word “happenstance” and has to do with one’s circumstances. The happiness associated with pleasant circumstances is elusive and temporary, and doesn’t reach to one’s heart. Joy, on the other hand, is sourced in God and can therefore be experienced at any time and in any circumstance. The Psalmist possessed joy in his heart in his relationship with God. Even more than any joy he might have experienced in any kind of prosperity.
Fanny Crosby lost her sight when she was only 6 weeks old. She lived into her nineties, composing thousands of beloved hymns. On her 92nd birthday she cheerfully said, “If in all the world you can find a happier person than I am, do bring him to me. I should like to shake his hand.” What enabled Fanny Crosby to experience such joy in the face of what many would term a “tragedy”? At an early age she chose to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). In fact, Fanny carried out a resolution she made when she was only 8 years old: “How many blessings I enjoy that other people don’t. To weep and sigh because I’m blind, I cannot and I won’t.” She deliberately chose and determined, by the Spirit, to rejoice in the Lord. Let’s do the same.
True and lasting joy of heart comes from God.
Application questions: Would others consider you a joyful person? Do you look at the fame or fortune that others possess with envy, or are you content in the blessings you now possess in Jesus? What steps can you take to focus on finding joy in Jesus?
LookingtoJesus 