I‘ve been dwelling in the Psalms lately. It‘s been both encouraging for my heart and leaving me with lots of questions. Well, I guess that‘s just how I feel most of the time that I read the Bible.
Anyways. The Psalms. More specifically, Psalm 16.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
[Psalm 16:11]
There‘s a lot happening in this one verse, but I want to highlight one part: fullness of joy.
The definition of fullness is: a state of being filled to capacity.
Filled to capacity.
With joy.
Okay, that sounds cool, but what if I really think about it? If I‘m filled to capacity with joy, what about all of those other emotions floating around?
What about anxiety?
Unfortunately, anxiety and I are comrades. Anxiety second-guesses nearly every single thought in my head.
Fullness of joy?
More like full of worry.
So then, how can I be full of joy when I‘m so full of worry? How can I rest in the presence of God (where the Word says there is fullness of joy) and still feel all of these other emotions? How does that kind of capacity work?
What if we can‘t truly reach the fullness of joy in this age?
Paul calls us to rejoice at all times [Philippians 4:4 & 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17], but he also calls us to mourn with those who mourn [Romans 12:15].
The Psalms are full of David telling God that he can‘t go on, that his heart is too troubled, but then David commands his heart to look at the glory of God.
What if, in this age, there has to be room for both?
I‘m not saying that God can‘t step in and calm the storm of anxieties raging inside of you. I most certainly think He can. But, what if part of the joy (ha…) of this age, is that we get to live in the balance?
In this age, I get to choose to set my eyes on Jesus, even when the anxiety tells me that nothing will work out.
In this age, I get to walk with both the Man of Sorrows and the Man of Joy.
The fullness of joy doesn‘t mean that I am free from anxiety, but that I choose to sing. It means that, instead of being tossed about by the stormy waters, I set my anchor in the Rock who never changes.
I‘m praying, and hopeful, that you and I both find that joy today.
“…but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice at all times, pray without ceasing…”