Radiant With Joy

I love encountering people who are joyful. I think there is a difference between being happy and being joyful. I think happiness is defined by the situation I’m in. If I’m in a good mood or if someone just did something nice for me, then I’m happy. On the other hand, being joyful is a choice despite what is happening to me at the moment. I can receive bad news or find myself in a really hard place and I can still be joyful, because my joy comes from within my heart, not from my current circumstances or situation.  To say it another way, happiness is like a thermometer; it goes up and down with the temperature of the room. A thermostat is different, it sets the temperature of the room and works to hold that temperature.

I read a Psalm of David when he was in trouble with Saul. He had been anointed king by Samuel, but Saul was the current king. David had killed Goliath, so he was popular among the people. Saul tried to kill him because of jealousy. David flees to the Philistine country and they freak out a bit, because they have heard of him. David pretends to be insane, (1 Samuel 21:12-13 NLT) and it was during this time, he penned Psalm 34 and some amazing instructions. Check this out…

⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
    He freed me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
⁶ In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles.
⁷ For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
    he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!(Psalm 34:4-8 NLT)

I want to be a man who trusts in God and finds my joy in Him. I want people who meet me to know that He has my heart. I don’t want to appear to be aloof or arrogant. I just want to have a heart focused on trusting the Lord with my whole heart. I believe that fear is used in different contexts here. I am “fearful” from something or someone trying to destroy me. I also have “fear” of God. The “fear” of God is a reverent respect for His Position, His Power and His Presence. I believe that the Lord knows my heart and He understands my “fear” within either context. I’m still learning every day that there is a deep abiding joy that dwells in my heart, when I trust Him completely. I want others to see the radiant joy in me because I’m walking out my faith in Him. I trust the Lord. He leads and directs my life. Even in the darkest valley, He is with me – He is the Source of my radiant joy!

Pressing On!

Dwayne