the Truth about pleasure

And here is a puzzle that I cannot seem to wrap my mind around, but it is true to the core, I can lose happiness and be sad but I have not lost my joy because I know that my joy comes from the Lord.

I can be depressed but I have not lost my joy. Despair flees because of my joy.

I have not lost my joy because I am so confident that He loves me.

And because He is love,
I understand love better.
Because I understand love better,
I can live a more pleasing life to Him.
Living a pleasing life to Him gives me more joy.
More joy gives me more pleasure even when I am sad; and this all stems from my firm foundation in Him.

Without Him I would have no clue what pleasure actually is.

Isn't that an astounding thought? Selah.

Here on earth I have an inkling of what it will be like in Heaven and because of that clue, I yearn more for Him and my dissatisfaction comes not from lack of earthly things but from lack of having a closer relationship with Him.

The closer I get to Him the more I want Him, the more I want Him, the more I love Him. The more I love Him the greater is my desire to please Him.

All of this started from His first loving me. Selah. While I was wicked and filthy, He loved me.

My pleasure is a direct gift from God and is derived from abiding in Him as He abides in me. That is my heart attitude and there is no place for a splinter to come between us.
Then the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who is seated on the throne, saying: Amen! Hallelujah!5 A voice came from the throne, saying: Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, both small and great! 6 Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying: Hallelujah because our Lord God, the Almighty, has begun to reign! 7 Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory,because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. 8 She was permitted to wear fine linen, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.9 Then he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!" He also said to me, "These words of God are true." 17 Both the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Anyone who hears should say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. Revelation 19

"For we will sing a song of celebration. We will shout out with praise for the Bridegroom will come, the Glorious One. We will look on His face; we will go to a much better place. So dance with all your might, lift up your hands and clap for joy, for the time’s drawing near when He will appear. And OH! We will stand by His side, a strong, pure, spotless Bride. And we will dance on the streets that are golden, the glorious bride and the great Son of Man. From every tongue and tribe and nation, we’ll join in the song of the Lamb." Living Proof Ministries II CD

4 comments:

Corry said...

That is beautiful Gina.
I find myself getting more happy with myself when I please Him. I agree there is joy in pleasing Him, but more sorrow in life as well. There must be a balance and I trust God to show me:-)

God's Grace.

Refreshment in Refuge said...

Callie, I love it that you'll be back! GREAT :)

Corry, you are so right that there is sorrow in life. I believe that the sorrow helps us to appreciate God's grace that much more.

Pilot Mom said...

Great post!Joy touches the deepest part of our heart! Even on the most terrible of days we should experience joy because of our salvation alone! Recognizing that salvation belongs to Christ helps me to "get out of myself". It isn't about me. It's about Him. As we decrease; He increases and joy results! Praise Him!

I popped in from Becky's today. It's my first time to visit your site. If you don't mind I'm going to take a few minutes and read some of your posts so I can get to know you! :) Blessings on you today!

The Faith Expedition said...

Yes, truly an astounding thought! How true that we would not know true pleasure without Christ. Earthly pleasure, sought without Christ as the center, is so empty and fleeting. That's why the drugs get stronger, the pornography more explict, the gambling more costly...because it doesne't satisfy. Thanks for sharing!