Mar. 31 | Finding Joy in His Presence
Psalm 16:11, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
What are some of the things you like to do in your free time? Some people like to read books, others like to have outdoor adventures, others like spending time with their close friends and family, some play or watch sports. I like to swim, ride my bike, hike and rock climb.
Some people become addicted to pleasurable things like drugs, money, sex, power and adrenaline because what they find in this world is never enough to satisfy their inner hunger for pleasure. Others become depressed and self-destructive because they see life as an endless cycle of pain and let downs not worth the energy it takes to find an ounce of joy that will disappear. Depression is not just sadness; it’s boredom and numbness.
Have you ever noticed how easily we as humans become bored nowadays? Take for example the children in this generation compared to those in the past. Children in the 1950’s used to listen to the radio and play cowboys and Indians with their imagination and were able to be happy. Now, today’s teens are never satisfied even though technology has given the ability to learn more about the world than all the past encyclopedias combined. They have better videos games than the flight simulators the first astronauts used to practice the moon landing and are connected to more people around the world because of social media. Yet, today’s children are more depressed and suffer more boredom than any previous generation. Why?
The answer to the bored teenager is the same as the burned out businessman who has all the toys money can buy but is still empty- we were made to be satisfied only in God’s presence. Someone once said, “We all have a God-shaped hole on the inside that only God can fill.”
Everyone longs for joy and pleasure in this life- yet only God can satisfy.
David knew this reality in his time because he witnessed the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures. He was a powerful king, a great warrior and a handsome man- however, he wrote in today’s passage that only God could give him the path to life, fill him with joy unending and give him eternal pleasures in His presence.
David discovered that the best way to encounter God’s presence was with praise and worship, hence his passion to write and sing songs to God. In response to God’s greatness and man’s emptiness everyone needs to worship God like David. When we worship God with all of our heart, He will reward and bless us in ways this world cannot compare with it. Start today and discover the joy and pleasures only God can give in His presence!
Reflection
Are you passionate about the presence of God?
Action
- Repent of anything that distracts you from being in God’s presence.
- Practice the presence of God through prayer and worship.
- Be thankful for the presence of God.
One Year Reading Plan
Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20, Luke 9:7-27, Psalm 72:1-20, & Proverbs 12:8-9. Click here to read online.