A Prayer to Experience More of God’s Joy Each Day
By Betsy de Cruz
“For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.” – Psalm 21:6
Last weekend, I stumbled upon joy in my own backyard. Taking advantage of a sunny day, I went out and bought flowers, forgetting much work it would be to plant everything. By the time I finished, my back ached, but I couldn’t stop smiling at the view on the back porch: vivid fuchsia, yellow, and pink blooms everywhere. I ignored my aching muscles and thought about the spring and summer joy those flowers would bring.
On a scale of one to ten, how joyful do you feel today, friend?
I’d be the first to admit that sometimes job stress, a busy schedule, or worry can steal my enjoyment of life, but in Psalm 21, King David reminds me of the source of our joy: God’s presence.
I found joy in my own backyard after a few hours of hard work, but we can find joy anywhere because God’s presence surrounds us always. However, we have to be intentional about cultivating gladness in Him. Here are three keys to more joy:
Remember God is present with you. What simple things help you step back from the busyness of life to connect with God? I enjoy lighting a candle in the morning while I drink my coffee or making time for an evening walk. No matter how the day went, I can’t help but feel more joy as I see God’s handiwork and experience His presence through the outdoors.
Thank God for how He has blessed you. No matter what happens today, nothing can steal God’s blessings from us. We are God’s workmanship, His children, and we have the gift of eternal life, life with God now and forever. His blessings surround us.
Grow your faith with the Word of God each morning. David describes his faith like this: “For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved” (Psalm 21:7). Grow your trust in God by reading His Word each morning. Even in hard times, when discouragement batters our hearts during the day, at least we find moments of reassurance through reading the Scriptures. They remind us of God’s steadfast love, and that is reason enough to take joy.
I know a busy day awaits me, but this morning I want to take time for God’s Word to cultivate trust, peace, and joy. Before I dash out the door, I’m going to sneak a peek at my backyard and thank God for the flowers. How can you take time to cultivate joy today?
Join me in praying to the Joy Giver:
Heavenly Father, you have blessed me and made me glad with the joy of your presence. Forgive me for forgetting your blessings sometimes and living my life as if you weren’t even there. Lord Jesus, thank you for the abundant life you came to give me so I can experience the joy of fellowship with you today.
Help me be mindful of the good gifts that come to me from your hand and open my eyes to the evidence of your blessing all around me. Thank you for my family and friends. Thank you for simple blessings like the sunrise each morning, food on my table, and a bed to rest in at night.
Lord,
Give me a fresh awareness of the joy of knowing you and help me find delight in your mercy, love, and faithfulness. Help me stay present to you today and remember you walk before me, behind me, and beside me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, so that your joy and peace overflow in me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Betsy de Cruz helps overwhelmed women take small steps to invite more of God’s presence and power into their lives. Connect with Betsy to get your free Quiet Time Renewal Guide and other resources at FaithSpillingOver.com. Her book More of God is a distracted woman’s guide to more meaningful quiet times. After living in the Middle East for 16 years with her husband and two children, Betsy landed in Texas, where she still enjoys drinking chai with friends.
Editor's Note: The podcast audio player below is no longer synced up to the written devotional. Enjoy this additional prayer to start or end your day!
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Now that you've prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below!
