Pt. 2 - JOY IS THE ATMOSPHERE

Scripture: Psalm 16:11 - You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever

Joy is not a fleeting emotion or an occasional high. "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" Nehemiah 8:10. Joy is the atmosphere of God's presence. Psalm 16:11 says, "In Your presence is fullness of joy." That means joy is not something we have to chase—it's something we already possess when we abide in Him. God's joy is deep and lasting happiness, a source of resilience and power for believers.

God doesn't ration joy. He surrounds us with it, even in hard seasons. The joy of the Lord is my strength. The challenge is not the lack of joy, but our sensitivity to it. The more aware we are of His presence, the more we experience the atmosphere of joy—even when circumstances suggest otherwise. Just think you have been seeking joy yet hiding from the Savior, not realizing that you were hiding from what you were seeking.

There is an old song, "Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory, " based on 1 Peter. 1:8, where the apostle speaks of the Lord Jesus, "whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." When we have regular encounters with God, it can cause our souls to soar. While these moments can't be manufactured, we can position ourselves to experience inexpressible times of joy with God that characterize our lives. What are you waiting for? Ask yourself:

• Where am I experiencing the presence of God today?
• How can I intentionally cultivate joy, even in quiet or painful moments?
• What distracts me from the joy of His presence?

PRAYER

Father, thank You for surrounding me with joy. Help me to dwell in Your presence where joy never runs dry. Teach me to recognize joy not as a feeling, but as a reality that follows wherever You are. Fill me again, and again, and again. In Jesus' name, Amen.