Happiness: The Realm of God

By: Gary Sims

The Scriptures
Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 - Happiness…the Realm of God

Key Verses: (CEV)
• 1-2: "Do something, God! Scatter your hateful enemies. Make them turn and run. 2 Scatter them like smoke! When you come near, make them melt like wax in a fire." - Enemies of God are all things that come into our lives and turn our attention from Him. It should be our constant prayer that these distractions (enemies) be banished from our lives.
• 3-4: "But let your people be happy and celebrate because of you. 4 Our God, you are the one who rides on the clouds, and we praise you. Your name is the LORD, and we celebrate as we worship you." - Happiness is not just a sense of unbridled glee; it is as a result of recognizing God's presence in our lives.
• 9-10: "When your land was thirsty, you sent showers to refresh it. 10 Your people settled there, and you were generous to everyone in need." - God pours His refreshing love into our parched lives in order to enable us to flourish and grow.
• 34-35: "Tell about God's power! He is honored in Israel, and He rules the skies. 35 The God of Israel is fearsome in His temple, and He makes us strong. Let's praise our God!" - "When we consider all God has done for us, we should feel an overwhelming sense of awe as we kneel before the Lord in His sanctuary." *

Points to Contemplate:

• Who are God's enemies in your life? Are they the people who distract or sway you from being the person God has created you to be? Are they the temptations in which you allow yourself to indulge? Could they be the feelings of doubt, anxiousness, or worry that cloud your heart? Perhaps it is your desire to control the uncontrollable, fix the non-reparable, or manage that which can't be managed? Are you afraid to hand these issues - these demons - over to God? Do you not fully trust Him? Do you not believe, really believe, that He can scatter your enemies like smoke in the wind?
• Are you happy? Does your face radiate with joy? Do you giggle in constant amazement? Is the sun shining in every aspect of your life? Have your frown wrinkles been replaced with smile lines? What keeps you from celebrating what God has done for you? Why is it that you continue to resist His love? What? You say you are not resisting His love? Then why aren't you smiling? Why are you not constantly filled with an overwhelming joy causing you to endlessly celebrate His love? Are you sure you haven't closed off some aspect of your life from Him? Is it time to let Him chase away your clouds of darkness?
• Are you thirsty? Is there an overwhelming and unquenchable desire controlling your life? Have you been in the desert so long that nothing you do seems to satisfy your thirst? Do you have needs that are not being met? Today, will you open your heart to God and allow His blessings to pour in? Will you open yourself to the promises He has in store for you? David in this psalm suggests that when you do you will find yourself "singin' in the rain."

Promise of the Gospel:

When we stop and allow ourselves a moment to reflect on our lives, we find that we are surrounded by God's enemies. Distractions, worries, desires, temptations, and fear tend to fill our hearts and darken our days. We think we are following God and doing what He would have us do but then we realize we have become fearful. We strive to control our lives, mapping and planning them in exacting ways. When we realize that everything can't be planned and very little can be controlled, we fret and worry. These feelings, above all else, are the enemies that David is calling God to scatter. God is able to create peace and render hope in our hearts. When we give up trying to control and when we decide to set our worries and fears aside, then God's blessings will pour in like rain. In the downpour of His love we can allow unbridled joy to take over. We will be able to smile and to be happy. Happiness is…the realm of God.

Article Source: Faith Writers

back to Article Home Page

Resources

Daily Scripture

Happiness: The Realm of God