The Happiest Place on Earth

When my children were young, we made several trips to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” You know the place…mouse ears, castles, rides. I remember the twinge of excitement that would bubble up once we began seeing orange groves and billboards along the Highway. And when we entered the gates, it seemed magical…well, sort of magical, as long as you could disregard the throngs of people wearing shorts and taking pictures. It was a happy place…that is, until mid-afternoon when at least one of the kids became grouchy and had an “episode.” (Your family may call it a meltdown or tantrum.) We’d fix that problem and go along our merry way-- until it rained, or someone got sick, or the lines were too long, or we couldn’t agree on a plan of action.

Suddenly our delight evaporated.

It seems like people are always searching for something to “make us happy.” We crave the temporary euphoria we experience when our team wins the game. We search for that perfect job, home, relationship, or hobby.

 Earthly happiness dangles like a carrot in front of our nose. It’s elusive, fleeting, unsatisfying.

Yet the Bible says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

God wants to give us things to enjoy. He wants to place holy desires in our hearts and then fill those desires. We begin by delighting in Him.

Delight is a form of happiness that’s wide-eyed with wonder and bubbling with enthusiasm. The Hebrew word used in this verse is “anag,” and connotes something soft, delicate, and alluring.

But what does it look like to “delight in the Lord?”

Since David seemed to have a handle on delighting in the Lord, I’m going to look for some advice from David’s Psalm 16.  

David went about his day CONSCIOUS OF GOD’S PRESENCE. He talked to God all day long.

“I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Ps. 16:2

He recognized that every good thing is his life was, one way or another, connected to God.

And his delight was multiplied when he joined with other believers. When he worshiped with his peeps, he was bursting with excitement. He was even known to dance for joy. (II Samuel 6:14)

“As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.” Ps. 16:3 NKJV

David was CONTENT WITH THE LIFE GOD GAVE HIM.

There’s nothing wrong with having ambitions and aspirations. But in our striving for “something better”, let’s not miss out on the good we already have. Delighting in the Lord means counting our blessings, and marveling at the goodness all around us.

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Ps. 16: 5-6 NKJV

David was CONFIDENT OF GOD’S CARE. 

“I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” Ps. 16: 7-8 NKJV

A delighted attitude is a peace-filled mindset, free from worry and insecurity. David rested in the assurance that God would give him wisdom for every decision. David was an eager student, even if it meant going to “night school.” He learned his lessons in dark, uncertain circumstances. Because he trusted God, David confidently declared, “I shall not be moved.”

David was CONVINCED THAT GOD HAS GOOD PLANS FOR HIS FUTURE.

“Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.                                                                                                                        

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy;

 at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” V. 9-11 NKJV

Here is our hope: our troubles will not last forever. God will remove them all, if not in this world, then in the next. But in the meantime, He walks with us along the rough roads, and He’s a delightful companion.

 A delighted heart experiences a joyful present and expects a pleasant future.
  

A delighted heart refuses to become tangled in a net of negativity.

A delighted heart lives in the awareness of God’s presence, walks in contentment and confidence, and rests in fullness of joy.

And that, my friend, is the Happiest Place on Earth.

Stop, Drop, and Rejoice in Today

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

I woke up and remembered why I hadn’t set my alarm: school was canceled because forecasters predicted snow. Teachers and students all over town did their happy dance. Snow in South Louisiana!

Had it really snowed?

To steal a line: Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter and threw up the sash. (Well, not exactly.  We don’t have shutters. But you get the picture.)

Fat, wet, flakes were tumbling from the sky. I put on my jacket and went outside.

At first, a sprinkling of snowflakes in delicate, crystalline clumps fell on my sleeves and melted.

Soon the clouds were dumping snow like powdered sugar on the lawn, rooftops, mailbox, and tree branches.

I watched in awe as my neighborhood morphed into a Christmas card scene. This kind of snowy vignette usually exists only in the imaginations of southerners like me. I was afraid that if I blinked, the lovely whitewashed world would disappear.

When was the last time you rejoiced in the day---stopped multitasking, dropped unnecessary distractions, and relished it?   When was the last time you savored the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of the moment? When was the last time you cherished today, a limited-time offer that’s expiring soon?

It doesn’t snow here often.  But every day is filled with little miracles that I miss because I’m often too busy performing useless tasks or complaining about the necessary ones.

I don’t always appreciate the hugs and smiles of my little students or take the time to laugh at the funny things they say. Instead, I allow myself to be overwhelmed by the responsibility of educating them and controlling their chaos. I don’t always fully appreciate the extraordinary people in my life because I’m so distracted.

How many times do we plow through daily routines without acknowledging God’s presence or thanking Him for a warm bed, a comfortable home, or friends and family? How many times do we hurry through meals without tasting the food because we're checking emails or for the next day? 

But God wants us to rejoice!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” II Thessalonians 5:16

It’s time to stop, drop, and rejoice in the moments that make up our days, because every day is wonder-filled.   Every day should be a snow day. Or a singing-in-the-rain day. Or a Son-day.  Or Christmas Day. Or a falling-in-love day. Or a new-birth day. An exotic day. A vacation day. A snuggle day. A day for celebration. A day for taking notice and taking time. A fresh-start day.  A day for delighting, because God’s compassions are new every morning.