Everlasting Joy and Happiness

Verse of the day: Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Losses, disappointments, sickness, and physical death; all of these can be factors that hinder happiness here on earth. The verses in this Psalm, written by King David, are prophetic, and applicable to what Jesus would experience. However, observing them from David’s point of view, it tells us much about what our mindset should be in respect to what is to come for each of us, as born again believers. In Christ, we have joy and peace that cannot be taken from us (although we can choose to give it away by how we respond to life). Happiness, here on earth is not like joy. Joy (and peace) can be experienced, even in the worst of circumstances (Phil 4:6-7). Happiness, on the other hand, is often controlled by what is happening in our lives, and how we are responding to whatever God is allowing us to experience (1 Peter 1:6-9). This verse is a reminder that joy, unlike anything the world can try to give, cannot be fully realized unless it is in our relationship with God, through Christ Jesus (Eccl 12:8; 13-14). Not only will we be led on the righteous, and holy, path of life that is filled with heavenly joy, by the Holy Spirit working in us and through us, but it is through Jesus, the Way, Truth, and Life, that we will ultimately be on the path to eternal life! It is the hope of being with God for all eternity that gives us the fullness of joy that can only be obtained through the offer made to us by Jesus. All too often we search for joy, and happiness, in the empty offerings of this world; only to end up depressed, and broken (1 John 2:15-17). If we want to find true pleasure in this life, and have confidence that we will be with God in the next, it can only be found in our true relationship with our Lord and Savior. True joy, and happiness, will never be realized by relying on money, material things, status in society or earthly relationships that are put before our relationship with Jesus. God instructs us, in His Word, as to how we are to relate to each other, as His children, and the unsaved world; but He also tells us that true satisfaction in this life comes from staying focused on Him, and our relationship with Him, with our eyes on what is to come…eternity with Him. Let us be reminded where true joy, peace, and happiness, come from; it can only come from a relationship with our Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ (praying, reading, studying, and obediently applying His Word, by the leading of His Spirit). Our end will be that losses, disappointments, sickness, pain and death, will be eliminated from our lives when we are finally home with Him (Rev 21:3-4).