It was a gloomy, dreary Friday.  

The doorbell rang and a crew of carpet layers entered. Soon my house was in a state of chaos. The noise of old carpet being scraped off and new carpet being nailed down filled the air. Every room was either crammed with workers or stuffed with the furniture from the rooms that were being worked on.

The only place left for me to sit was in a little corner of the kitchen.

To make the situation even more memorable, I had not rescued my computer from my desk before the workers completely blocked it off with dressers and mattresses. I couldn’t do any of the work I planned to do that day. To pass the time, I decided to read a book I had checked out of the library. It didn’t take me long to become completely engrossed in the novel City of Tranquil Light. I read page after page and cried through almost every one.

So here I was sitting in my kitchen listening to the pounding of the carpet layers, dabbing my eyes and blowing my nose as I read this heart-searing story. The view out of my patio door reflected the sadness of the book. Gray clouds still filled the sky. Thick storm clouds blocked out almost all the sunlight.

Then it happened. The sun peeked through a hole in the clouds. Light filled the kitchen. The atmosphere changed for just a moment.

I thought—that is what God’s joy is like. Even when your world is in chaos, even when your emotions are like a roller coaster, joy in the Lord is always available because He is always there.

The trouble is that we might not always sense God’s presence. It might be hidden behind some clouds.

But His joy is there. In the turmoil. In the noise. In the gloom.

King David wrote,

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

According to David,

Joy is found in God’s presence. I often look for it in my current circumstances and am dismally disappointed. I can’t find it in the clouds of heartache. God is the only true source of joy.

God fills us with joy. The world tells me that success or cute shoes will fill me with joy, but that joy will never last. I have to look to the Father for a fresh supply.

Eternal pleasures are at God’s right hand. When we are with God–holding His hand–we are given lasting joy, not the fleeting happiness of the world that melts like a chocolate bar on a hot day.

The world may be a discouraging place, but when we wait in God’s presence, He will break through the chaos and darkness of our lives to give us a glimpse of joy.

Next step: Write out Psalm 16:11 on a sticky note and post it where you will see it often today. Remind yourself to wait in God’s presence when you need a fresh supply of joy.