What Brings You Joy?

“You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound.”

Psalm 4:7

Sometimes I ask people what brings them joy. Some people respond with an enthusiastic listing of their loved ones, hobbies, activities, and belongings. From others, I get a blank look that makes it clear they have no idea what I mean by joy. I can always spot a truly faithful person with this question though because their answer is always the same. Those who belong to Christ, those who walk with Him in their daily lives, who live for Him, always give the same reply. Their response is an immediate proclamation that “The Lord! He brings me joy.” Or “Jesus brings me joy!” Usually they expand on their answer to explain that their joy in the Lord persists even in the midst of suffering, grief, or difficulty.

These people often also find joy in other things, their loved ones, the beauty of the world around them, various activities, helping others, and so forth. But their deepest, most consistent, and first source of joy is God Himself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Those who put nothing else and nobody else ahead of Him, He blesses with a joy that surpasses all other joys and endures when the worldly pleasures fade. It makes our happiest days even brighter and provides a beacon of hope in dark times.

In Psalm 4, verse 7, we are reminded that God puts this joy in our hearts. We can seek happiness. We can spend our time, money, and energy pursuing the things of this world that make us feel happy, but happiness doesn’t last. It comes and goes as the external circumstances of our lives change. God is unchanging and eternal, so joy that comes from Him lasts forever.