I think I understand the whole concept of that more as I get older.
I had some things weighing on my mind this morning. Though I prayed about them, I was letting a couple of concerns eat at my heart. Then I was reminded of Proverbs 3: 5-6 where the Bible says to trust in the Lord and not lean to my own understanding and where it tells me I should acknowledge Him in all my ways and He would direct my path.
So I made the conscious decision to just trust Him. Just. Trust. Him. It was an immediate attitude changer--one that soon had me looking forward to the day ahead--a day that did not look near as daunting or joyless.
That's when I realized that when I think about things without acknowledging God, I am letting my mind go in a dangerous direction--away from the path God would have me go on. If I look at my problems and let them overwhelm me, I am giving away my right to joy. When I lose that access to the deep underlying joy that knowing Christ brings, I lose the access to my strength too because my strength comes from trusting God in the first place.
It all goes back to the Word of God again. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord!
So, I choose to trust Him today. I choose to acknowledge Him in ALL my ways because I want His direction. If I have His direction, then I'm going in the RIGHT direction. And if I'm going in the right direction, then I can rest assured that I will be where God would have me be.
And being where God would have me be is where my joy is! It only goes to follow that my strength will be there also. So, if you're worried about things today or letting some things that have happened in your life keep you from reaching down into that rich deposit of joy God has provided for all His children, stop what you are doing and declare your trust in God. Declare that you know He is working in your favor and thank Him for it! Declare it and believe it and be thankful.
You will have tapped into that deep reservoir of faith. That's where your joy is. That's where your strength is.
And best of all, it pleases God. For the Word says: Without faith it is impossible to please God.
And pleasing God is what it is all about. I guess that's why it gives us joy.