Source of Joy

Psalm 66; 2 Corinthians 7

Psalm 66 is a psalm of celebration. The psalmist is declaring praises to God and is listing off all the great things that God has done. 2 Corinthians 7 speaks of Paul's joy. He tells the Corinthians how happy he is and how proud he is of them. In it he describes how he can boast in confidence about them.

The joy in the psalm is pouring off of the page. It is very difficult to read this psalm without wanting to do so out loud while dancing in the street. There is such tangible excitement! The psalmist cannot help but testify and witness to others about the great things that God has done and how great He is. It made me excited simply reading this passage. It was very interesting to read this psalm next to Paul's letter in 2 Corinthians. While 2 Corinthians 7 is about joy it does not have the same feel as the psalm. It does not have any less joy but it reads more as a proud father who is filled with joy because he has seen his child make the right choice in a particular circumstance. The type of joy that is felt when a lesson taught is seen being applied by the student. A knowing that effort has not gone in vain. Paul had earlier written a letter to the Corinthians that was painfully revealing regarding how they were living. The Corinthians responded by repenting of their sins and returning to God. This action has filled Paul with great joy and he reaffirms them saying in verse 16, "I am glad I can have complete confidence in you." What an incredible statement! That must have given the Corinthians warm fuzzies all over! The key here is the response of the Corinthians. Their response to Paul's earlier letter was not anger or defensive walls or excuses. It was what Paul calls Godly sorrow. In verse 10 Paul says, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." This is a truth that we would all be wise to apply to our own lives.

In my life I am going to aim to respond with Godly sorrow to my shortcomings. I can respond by getting defensive, making excuses, expressing sorrow because I got caught or even expressing sorrow that someone got hurt. However those responses do not lead to repentance and those responses do not respond to God. They are all focused on me and how it affects me. That is not how I am to live my life, that is not how I am to love others, that is not how I am to love God. At least not if I want to call myself a Christian. Godly sorrow means genuine sorrow for what I have done. Godly sorrow means humble approach to God to confess my ways. Godly sorrow means genuine desire to repent, to turn from what I have done and to not return to it. Godly sorrow is what God wants from me. This is not and can no longer be about me and how I am affected. This is about God!

Dear God,

I thank you that I can rejoice in you. I thank you that you are the source of tangible, jump up and down joy! I thank you that you fill me with that sort of joy. I am sorry that I do not always live my life in a way that honours the joy you give me. I am sorry that I do things that are not what you have intended for my life. Today I come to you with my shortcomings, with my selfish desires and actions. I come to you humble and sorrowful. I come to you to repent. To turn. And to live in a manner that makes you joyful and makes you proud of the lessons you have taught me. You are the reason for my joy and I want to live in a way that makes you joyful. I want to shout and dance and tell the world to praise you because you are the God!! Thank you God. Thank you.

Amen