“You make known to me the path of life, in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 16:11

Joy is something that we all seek in our lives. We try to find joy in our jobs, relationships, hobbies, and possessions. We find peace in these areas or we find escapes from the stresses of life. However, the joy that we find is often fleeting. Moments of depression, loss, or heartache can make joy seem like a friend who never visits. Someone who we used to know but can no longer find. This can exacerbate the very feelings that lead to our loss of joy. 

In this Psalm, David praises God for his care. He thanks God for not abandoning him and prays that God would care and preserve him. In this, David realizes that our joy cannot originate from the temporary pleasures of this world. Rather, our hope, joy, and safety only lie in God. There is no other source in this world that can match the unlimited generosity of God. While some sources of joy, such as relationships, can last a lifetime, the amount of satisfaction that we find in those things ebb and flow. It is dependent on the actions and attitudes of you and the person with whom you have a relationship. However, God’s love and care are not dependent on our feelings. It is there regardless of what we feel. 

This doesn’t mean that we will always feel God’s peace and joy. If we turn from God or if we push away his gifts, we may not feel as David describes. However, unlike our human relationships, God will not abandon us if we turn from him. Rather, God will bring us back to himself like he did with Israel in the book of Hosea or as he did with our salvation as Paul describes in Romans 5:8 in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

This is what is so glorious about the joy that comes from God. This joy is not dependent on us to work towards it or earn it. God gives these gifts freely to his people. 

This week, seek after the joy that comes from God instead of the things of this world as only He can bring true satisfaction.