Do you feel the joy of the Lord in your life?

“You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” Psalms 16:11 (CSB)

I understand that we all experience seasons of grief and suffering; however, I encounter people who claim the name of Jesus Christ on a regular basis who seem like they are the most unhappy people in the world. Their glasses are always half full. They rarely smile or laugh. Their lives do not reflect the hope one would expect a Christ follower to possess.

One mark of the a believer and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is joy. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It’s a sign of His indwelling presence in our lives. When we have the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can possess joy in the midst of loss and difficult circumstances. That joy can be a powerful witness to lost people we encounter to the difference that Christ makes in the lives of His disciples.

This joy, true joy, is only found in the presence of God.

Are you spending time in God’s presence as you go about your daily life? Do you spend time with Him each day in prayer and Bible study? Do you seek to communicate with Him as you go through your day? Do you reflect on God’s Word as you live and work each day?

Seek to be in God’s presence as you go through your day. Speak to Him and listen in prayer. Spend time reading and meditating upon His Word. 

These are ways we stay in the presence of God. They are also means by which we can experience the joy of His presence.

If you want to know more about what this means, send me a message.

Blessings!

(If you want to read more from Tim McKnight, click here.)