Find Joy by Delighting in God's Presence—by Luis Palau

By Luis Palau

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. —Psalm 16:11

In these uncertain times, it can seem like deep joy is an impossibility. The best periods of my life were those times I really did simply delight in the Lord. He is the loving Father, the kind Master, the One with greater patience than we can imagine. Joy, full blessing, laughter—those are the hallmarks of our relationship with God.

It is possible to obey and serve Him without delighting in Him. It is possible to forget that crux of it all is this: we’ve received good news from a good God. True, unfading joy comes only from delighting in His presence. And when we forget to delight, an insidious darkness creeps in, dampening our joy.

Our culture today faces monumental challenges. Why are so many young people struggling with depression? They should be having fun, experiencing their freedom. Yet they are medicated in droves because they are haunted by the very real specter of depression. What has imposed this on them? Why are we divorcing at such rates, bringing misery, financial complication, and heartbreak to families? What is happening?

We could go on and on with the sufferings of our day. There must be a way out. If the Lord can save us from hell, can’t He save us from the pressures of this life? He may not take them away, but He can give us the strength to bear them— as Psalm 37:23 says, "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him." Can’t we choose to live for today and say “phooey” to what others think? Can’t we choose joy and faithful living in Jesus?

When we delight in the Lord, He places desires in our hearts that He plans to fulfill anyway. The desires of our hearts become the desires of God’s heart. Extraneous, carnal, egotistical things fall away. You focus on the delight.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. —Psalm 37:4

I am months, maybe weeks, away from heaven. The only thing I can think to say is, “Get close to God.” Delight in Him. Let the stream of the Holy Spirit’s work carry you to the heart of the Father. In you is the life of Christ, who intercedes for us. How amazing that is! The musty, clinging fear of death dissipates in that freshness. For if Christ has given me His life here in our fallen world, and if He is even now ascended and interceding for me in heaven, will He not be faithful to His promises to bring me safely home to Himself? Will he not bring me into the presence of the Father, at whose right hand is joy forevermore? Will He not let me find the home in Him that I have always longed for?

I continue to be called into God’s delight. Are you delighting in Him? Are you close to the one who has defeated the power and fear of death? Or are you still in bondage to the fear of the unknown? Turn to Jesus. He is waiting to walk us through the Valley of the Shadow into His glorious light.

The still, small voice says, Stay, Luis. Know me a little better here. So I try to obey. I sit. I listen to the reading of the Word like I have not done in ages, with a freshness that is given depth by the knowledge that my faith will soon become sight. I listen carefully and personally, not merely to teach others but to be taught myself.

God wants to meet you today. Not yesterday, which is a memory, and not tomorrow, which is a mystery. Will you make room for delight today? Sit down. Get quiet. Open the Word. Thank Him. I’m praying you'd experience God's joy filling you once again.