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The Pursuit Of Joy
By Charles Hamilton
Many people strive to be happy. It’s even written in our constitution that as citizens of the United States we should pursue happiness. However, once we are born again and become citizens of the Kingdom of God, we must pursue something more noble. We must pursue fullness of joy.
What’s the difference? Happiness is not a state of being. It’s totally dependent upon external circumstances, however joy on the other hand is a spiritual condition. If you don’t believe it, simply have a bad day and your happiness melts away like wax under the heat of the sun. Joy is eternal and will sustain you even in the worst of times. Wisdom therefore is the pursuit of joy. There is a key verse in scripture that shows the wisdom of the ages. It’s in Psalms 16, verse 11 which says.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
As you can see from this verse its God who will show us the path of life. The key secret being that in His presence there is fullness of joy. Not just a little bit of joy here or there — but fullness of joy. We discover therefore that joy is not some outward expression based upon external circumstances but rather joy is a person — the person of Jesus Christ. We learn then that simply seeking to be happy is rather a pointless pursuit. Why? Because we have good days and we have bad ones. If we’re waiting for the conditions in each day to be perfect — they rarely ever are.
Our conclusion therefore, is the pursuit of the person of Jesus. Because in His presence there is fullness of joy… and oh by the way… at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore. People today seek after external pleasures without ever once considering Jesus. They are looking in the wrong place for their happiness because they will never find it apart from Jesus Christ. We were created by God to have Jesus living in our lives and when we refuse Him — we were designed to malfunction. Apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ we will be forever bound by external conditions and circumstances. If we have a good day then we’re doing good… If we have a bad day… well you can finish the sentence. So, seek to know Jesus and purse Him in all you do. Because in His presence is fullness of Joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
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