What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion. Psalm 119:2
That “heart’s passion” is what the whole world is chasing, whether it knows it or not. The topics of dreaming, risk, and passion are prevalent. Everyone is trying to break free of the mundane, moving to a destination where adrenaline flows freely, and we feel alive. Experts tell us the path is through deeper intellectual understanding and processing. But experiencing true life is outside our minds; it is an affair of the heart. Our heads will only take us so far, and we can only be prodded into action by ideology for so long. If our hearts are not engaged, dreams become elusive, risk untenable, passion non-existent — and joy stays out of reach. Joy is not something we think our way into. It’s the fruit of a heart fully given.
This is why God has never asked for our duty; He has asked for our hearts. It has been said that lovers are far more productive than servants, and it’s true. We are far more willing to sacrifice for someone we love than for our boss. Even accolades have limited power, and while money is a powerful motivator, it cannot bring us lasting joy. We are hardwired for encounters, and everything filters through the prism of what grabs our hearts. The same is true with God: it is not our discipline that produces joy, but our devotion. We do not stumble into joy by accident; we walk into it through love.
But even love can grow lukewarm when the encounters stop feeling fresh. We scoff at the Children of Israel and their faithless behavior, yet we often exhibit the same temperamental demands. It is easy to be full of zeal and passion when life is going well. If God is meeting our expectations and we can see the results of our faith, our joy is evident. But when life goes wrong, or we face a season of suffering, our desire wanes and our circumstances cloud our devotion. And when devotion fades, so does the joy that only devotion can produce.
There are so many voices vying for our attention. When tragedy hits, we lean into Google or ChatGPT to search for answers. Surely there is someone with sound advice to tickle our intellect and comfort our hearts. Sadly, these searches often add to our fear, anxiety, and anger. Our minds can become consumed and distracted by uncertainty, and what starts as a search for comfort becomes a spiral of speculation. When our passion is misplaced and our affections misdirected, joy has no room to take root. We cannot experience His love while our hearts are elsewhere.
So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. (Proverbs 4:23a) Those who guard their hearts against unnecessary wanderings enjoy God’s gift of joy. His joy is not predicated on a perfect Instagram life but on the bedrock truth that comes from a heart fully dedicated to Him. Like lovers who laugh at silly things and enjoy inside jokes, our connection with Him is unique. We have encounters that mark us and solidify that we belong to Him, and it is those encounters, not our circumstances, that produce joy.
Joy is not just a giggle or a tingle; it is overwhelming and transformational. It invigorates us, strengthens us, and gives us courage. It cannot be confined to a logical process because, often, what brings joy does not make sense — it is not the product of understanding but of belonging. Passion feeds on Joy, and Joy refuels our passion, each one deepening the other the more we give our hearts away. Heaven is pregnant with joy. Because of you, I know the path of life, and as I taste the fullness of joy in your presence. (Psalm 16:11:a) Spending time in His atmosphere changes us.
If we want the most exciting journey of our lives, we do not need the latest book about dreams or fulfillment. One moment in the presence of God is exhilarating and brings us unspeakable joy. Our passion for Him gives us access to an unlimited reservoir of His goodness and satisfaction. It is the very “heart’s passion” the Psalmist promised would overwhelm us with joy.