Earlier this week a friend sent me an e-mail encouraging me to have joy in the Lord with a verse from Psalm 86. For the last few days this Psalm has been so helpful in reminding me that joy is a state of heart that does not rely on the happenings around me or anything physical. Joy is a product of trusting in God and the whole chapter Psalm 86 is an awesome prayer for that joy, but especially these two verses:

Bring joy to your servant,
for to you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.

You are forgiving and good, O Lord,
abounding in love to all who call to you.

Psalm 86:4-5

A couple of things stand out from these verses, mainly who God is–forgiving, good and abounding in love toward those who call on Him. The other part that stands out is what I must do–to be lifting up my soul, calling on Him.

I think the reason I can get discouraged or complacent in my day to day life is I lose focus of who God is. Every day I sin and am in need of His forgiveness. Every day things are happening all around me and I am in need of God’s goodness to me which causes all of those things to work together to sanctify me to be like His Son. To think that every day God isn’t just loving, He is abounding in love. He is fully supplied with love that is perfect and always acts for the benefit of His children. I am definitely in need of that!

This is who God is. Why in the world would I not be lifting up my soul continually and calling on Him at all times? He is trustworthy. He has a perfect track record of caring for His children. He can forgive sins. He has created all things. He is God! Knowing Him and being known by Him is the source of all joy!

Psalm 86 has totally ministered to me by drawing me to worship God and lift up my soul to Him in prayer all day long. I hope you will take some time to read it and that you will be encouraged to have joy in your heart today!