Refill Devotional, Week 5 Day 4: “Joy”

Refill with worship: Joy

“A psalm of thanksgiving: Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.” Psalm 100:1-2 (NLT)

It’s easy to arrive at worship without feeling like worshipping. A lot of us carry the distractions of the day into our worship: issues at work, an argument with a loved one, problems with the kids, too little sleep or too much stress. Sometimes our attitude is affected by even less: “that song doesn’t really get me in the mood” or “I’m just not feeling it today.”

But worshipping with joy isn’t a feeling; it’s a holy exchange.  When we choose to worship with thanksgiving God refills us with joy.

Ann Voskamp says it this way: “Though I may not always feel joy, God asks me to give thanks in all things, because he knows that the feeling of joy begins in the action of thanksgiving. True saints know that the place where all the joy comes from is far deeper than that of feelings; joy comes from the place of the very presence of God.”

We are filled with joy as we enter into the presence of God, recognizing who He is and thanking Him for what He has done. Joy is the reward of worship.

What can you thank God for today? How can you practice thankfulness in worship? Do you believe joy awaits on the other side?

Worship Songs for Today:
“The Happy Song” by Delirious
“Joyful Joyful” by Laura Hackett