I will praise the LORD at all times.I will constantly speak his praises.I will boast only in the LORD;let all who are discouraged take heart.Come let us tell of the LORD’s greatness;let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears.Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.I cried out to the LORD in my suffering, and he heard me.He set me free from all my fears.For the angel of the LORD guards all who fear him, and he rescues them.
Taste and see that the LORD is good.Oh, the joys of those who trust in him!Psalm 34:1-8 (NLT)
The phrase that caught my attention in this passage was “radiant with joy.”
The dictionary definition of radiant is:
1. sending out light; shining or glowing brightly : a bird with radiant green and red plumage. See note at bright .• (of a person or their expression) clearly emanating great joy, love, or health : she gave him a radiant smile.• (of an emotion or quality) emanating powerfully from someone or something; very intense or conspicuous
So my question for you (and myself!) is, “What emanates powerfully from us; what is it that is most conspicuous about us?” Sometimes, my answer to that question would have to be discontentment, disapproval, or worry.
This week, I want to be able to answer that question with, “JOY!”
What an awesome verse!! I love the phrasing in this, and choosing joy in the midst of our craziness is exactly what I need to do right now!
Those crazy times are definitely when we need it the most–and they’re often when it’s the hardest to choose joy!