Created For More

Devotional Reading: You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 ESV

The world tells us there are plenty of paths to happiness: earning a college degree, achieving career success, getting a new car, hitting your goal weight, marrying the perfect person, making a lot of money, buying your dream house.

We can seemingly create our own happiness by pursuing and achieving these things and more. If we check off enough personal goals then we’ll be happy. Right?

But if enough boxes aren’t checked (or if other people seem to be checking them off faster), it’s easy to get disappointed and frustrated. Not just with yourself, but with God. Like He isn’t coming through for you or He isn’t providing what you want or need to feel good.

Even though you probably don’t believe all of this fully, some inward part reasons that by getting exactly what you want, you’ll truly be happy.

But what if God didn’t design you for happiness? What if He designed you for joy?

Happiness is about the search for “more” in life—more friends, more money, more acknowledgement, more power, etc. Joy is the discovery of an abundant life found in “less” focus on yourself and others—and more on Christ. This is what your recreated spirit longs for as a believer. Think on this!

Prayer and Confession
Thank you Lord for the Everlasting joy I found in you. Amen!

Further Reading – Romans 14:17