Everybody is stressed out. There’s a lot of anxiety to be had these days. Consider school, marriage, parenting. and caring for aging parents. Then there’s work, prom, graduation, sports, bills to pay and laundry to do. How do you get through it all?
Your biggest problem is not the stress of school, relationships, work, etc. but where do you stand with God and how does that impact everything else? Address and solve the “stand with God” problem, your “relationship with God” issue, and everything else will fall into place. Problems are real and I don’t deny what you face is difficult, but there will always be trouble and stress. I want to turn you to God and knowing God, walking with Him and a relationship with Him through Jesus and power of the Spirit – that is the answer to your problems and issues. It puts things in perspective.
God speaks to you today. In Psalm 16:11, David prayed, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” To put it another way, God says to you today, “I have a path for you; in My presence there is fullness of joy; at My right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This can change your whole outlook on the stress and problems you face today.
Now David certainly had issues. He was the runt of the family, and who doesn’t know older brothers that tease and “beat up” on younger ones? David was king and had expectations and responsibilities – no pressure. He faced King Saul and Goliath and his own personal failures with Bathsheba and Absalom. He had all sorts of troubles, several his own fault. Yet he could have this relationship with God: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
God has a path for you, and He doesn’t keep it a secret. There is a right path to take. The path of life is Jesus, who is the way, truth, and life. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14).” And on that path you’ll be in His presence and have fullness of joy. How can you stay in God’s presence in the midst of stress and struggle and heart-ache? How much joy do you want in life? It is a joy that goes beyond the stress and troubles of this world, that transcends cancer and death of a child. There is only one source of joy in all the universe: the eternal and perfect God, who dwells forever as Father, Son, Spirit. And that joy is yours, in His presence. At His right hand are pleasures forevermore. These pleasures begin in this life, when you know Jesus, and continue for eternity.
Even Jesus had a troubled spirit (John 13:21). Yet He was on the path of life, He was in the presence of God and had fullness of joy, He would sit at the Father’s right hand and have pleasures forevermore. Jesus could pray this verse and He fulfilled this verse. Whatever troubles you face this season, look to God. Stay on the path of life. Stay in His presence and have fullness of joy. Stay at His right hand and have pleasures forevermore. This will help you get through the hard times.