Fullness of Joy

 

                                                                

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

Fullness of joy! Pleasures forevermore!  Who would not want these things? Early in my Christian life, I discovered Psalm 16:11. This verse states that when we are in God’s presence we will know great joy.  I can testify that I have known the deep joy of walking with the Lord.  In times of rich blessing, I have felt His presence and have agreed with David that in His presence is fullness of joy.

At other times, trials and difficulties entered my life. God did not seem to be near. Joy was not a word to describe my life. During the hard times, I would grit my teeth and push through. I would remind myself that problems do not last forever.  My life became a parentheses. I would wait for the problem to end; then joy would begin again.

Recently, it was brought to my attention that David wrote Psalm 16 when he was fleeing from Saul.  Saul was determined to kill David. He was running for his life and hiding in caves. This “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” were experienced by David during these hard times. 

It astounded me that David could speak about having fullness of joy when his life was in danger. Is joy really possible during hard times?  I know that during difficulties, God gives us strength and wisdom and comfort.  But does He also give joy?  The concept that difficult seasons of life can also include joy is intriguing.

I looked at other Psalms that David had written during this time. These psalms spoke David’s struggle as well as his joy. Psalm 142 contains verses that include: “my spirit was overwhelmed within me” (vs. 3) , “no one cares for my soul”(vs. 4), “attend to my cry, for I am brought very low” (vs. 6).  Obviously, David felt the pain of his situation and didn’t walk through these difficulties with a plastic smile glued to his face. He felt the pain, and he brought the difficulties to the Lord in prayer. 

God wants us to come to Him in the bad times of life as well as in the good times. The command to “pray constantly” applies to all circumstances. As we spend time in His Presence, He imparts to us a joy that runs deeper than our problems. He gives to us the “fullness of joy” that David speaks of in in Psalm 16.

Lord, sometimes life is hard. Help us to come to you in bad times as well as in good times. Enable us to pour out our hearts to You as David did.  Draw us into Your Presence. As we sit in Your Presence, Lord, may we know the fullness of joy that only You can give.