You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. – Psalm 16:11

Recently, I have recognized something about myself. Every time I am about to pray or worship God, I take on this serious and melancholy attitude, confusing those postures with reverence. But, as I look in scripture there is a different, yet common, attitude of those encountering God: joy. Rather than rejoicing in the love and grace of God, I have been going before God like an employee to a boss – appearing like I have it all together and acting on my best behavior. C.S. Lewis correctly says it this way, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.”

There is a saying in baseball that hitting is contagious. The same motto applies when it comes to joy. When joy is in your life, it flows into everything you do, but when it’s absent, everything seems to drag. Joy not only lifts your spirits, but it remains consistent through the ups and downs of a season. Take a step back and think: Is joy in your life? Is it in your game?

The truth is that your sport will not give you joy. The thrill of winning and the opportunity to compete may give you temporary happiness, but joy is a completely different thing. True and consistent joy comes from God and spending time in His presence. If you’re looking for joy to come from your sport, you’ll always be depending on success and victory. Instead, I challenge you to place your source of joy in Jesus. The only One who is the “same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

  • Reflect over and pray the passage above.
  • Receive the love and grace of God.
  • Ask God to fill you with His joy.