Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 4:7 

“You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound.” – Psalm 4:7          

This is a psalm of David, and it speaks of where our joy comes from.  Many in the world, and unfortunately many who belong to a church, do not understand what the source of true joy is.  Many find their joy in what they do, others in what they have, and still others in who they know down here.  When our job is doing well and we are making a good salary, we find ourselves happy.

Now, I am not saying that we cannot be happy about things we have.  And I am not saying we cannot enjoy a concert, sports events, or dinner with friends.  Of course, we can, as long as what we do does not involve something that is against the will of God for our lives.  These things are enjoyable and may be something that God brings our way for His service.  For instance, when we go to a concert, and we are able to speak of the Lord to someone who really needed to hear it.  Or we have a rifle and can go hunting with several friends which opens the door to encouraging them.  These are definite things that God does.  However, true joy has its source from God Himself.

Let’s look at a few ideas which will help us understand this concept.  How do we react when something very precious and important to us is stolen.  Do we get depressed and angry?  It can be understandable. Or do we look at it as something God allowed, and He will comfort us and bring joy.  Suppose you go to work, and someone has spoken lies about you to your boss.  This is something I have experienced.  I did get upset, but I took the time to get with my boss and talked with her, sending her evidence that what was said was false.  I did get very nervous about how this could affect my job there. I had a great position, and I was only several years away from retirement.   I then spoke to the person and worked it out with them.  Now, I was not perfect in how I addressed this, but I prayed, and God brought this thought to my mind.  It was something a former pastor told me when I was let go from a previous job.  “If God wanted you to have that job, there is nothing in this world that would have caused anyone to take it away.  And if God did not want me to have that job, there was nothing in this world that could have allowed me to keep it.” 

It is important that we do not look to things or events for our joy but look to God for our source.  Things, jobs, people and events can be taken from us, cancelled, or destroyed.  However, if these things do happen, rejoice that it did happen.  For maybe someone else needed something more than us, or maybe we were not to attend or stay working at the place we were at.  God knows what we need and what we do not.  He knows what He has called us to and what He has not.  And since nothing is too hard for Him, then we can rejoice that His will was accomplished and go from there.  True joy comes from Him and is about Him.  There may be things we love or have been waiting to do for a long time.  If things do not work out as we wanted, we know they took place as He wanted.  And knowing that infinite love He has for us, it was for our good. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.