Truth and Joy

Psalm 1

This is my life passage. It’s where I got the title of this blog and you’ll recognize the quote at the top of the page. My name, Phyllis, means green leaf in Greek, so I have naturally clung to verse 3. I want to be a tree that never withers, that bears fruit. I want to prosper in all l do. To do that, I have to follow verse 2. I have to delight in God’s law and meditate on it all the time.

So it’s fitting that when a friend told me she picks one word to focus on each year, I immediately knew that my word for this year is truth. God’s law. God’s Word.

There’s only one problem. Even though the year is barely begun, the truth of my sinfulness has become very apparent to me. I’m more like the worthless chaff than I am like the fruitful tree.

Instead of relying on God’s Word for direction, I sometimes look to secular sources. I take the advice of the wicked.

When it comes to hot cultural issues, too often my attitude lines up people who aren’t concerned with what God thinks about things. I stand around with sinners.

And here’s the worst. I often speak without thinking and end up hurting people with my words. I join in with mockers.

These are truths about me that grieve me because they grieve my Lord. They are not pleasing to Him and they rob me of the joy He wants to give me. I’ve spent the last few days grieving over a specific circumstance in which I acted like a sinner. I’ve repented and done what I could to make amends, but the joy is still missing.

So what can I do?

Delight in the law of the Lord. Spend more time reading it. Pray using the words of the scripture. Claim the promises. And ask God to use His words to transform me into His image.

I’m only godly because of Jesus, but I can rest in that assurance. And because of that I know that He  watches over my path. So I can walk forward this year with His eye on me. And I know that as I meditate on His Word, my leaves will turn green and I’ll bear fruit.

And my joy will return.