“But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favor).” Psalm 5:11-12 AMP
My grade school principal was Mrs. Lane. She was a woman I admired and looked up to. No matter how much pressure she was under, she always had a joyful countenance. I will never forget her smile or her laugh, and the way she made the students feel loved and accepted. There were times she had to discipline students and times she had to come down hard on a class; but she always followed it up with a word of encouragement. She didn’t hold grudges and she gave praise whenever she had the opportunity.
I was in her office on countless occasions because I was a strong willed, stubborn, and rebellious child. But every time I found myself sitting with her I never felt condemned for my actions. No matter what I did or anyone else did, Mrs. Lane had an unwavering confidence that everything would work out and one day be okay. She would take the time to tell me that what I had done did not define who I was as a person. Then she would say things like, “Holly if you can direct all that energy for the positive you will do great things for the Lord one day.”
When I read this passage of Scripture, Mrs. Lane is one of the people who come to mind. It is obvious that Mrs. Lane took refuge in God and trusted in him completely during her times as the principal of that school. She understood the goodwill of God and knew that it was a shield around her and her students. I can honestly say that part of the reason I am who I am today is because of the hope I found through the joy she displayed before me on a daily basis. The joyful countenance in Mrs. Lane is not a common trait that I found in many professing Christians in the years that followed my time with her. In fact what I witnessed in the lives of most professing Christians was the exact opposite.
As an adult I decided to see if I was blinded to the truth or if other people were witnessing the same thing. Over the years I have spoken to hundreds of people about this and I hear the same response from Christians and non-Christians alike. A joyful countenance seems to be a rare quality more than it is a common trait in Christianity. But why is this? What is the root cause of it? And how do we change it? This passage of Scripture answers all three of these questions and shows us how to walk in the joy of the Lord on a consistent basis. First of all the reason people do not have a joyful countenance, especially in times of adversity, is because they do not take refuge in the Lord and do not put their full trust in Him to protect them.
The root cause of this comes from people working in their own strength. They try to figure things out on their own which leaves them frustrated, anxious, and depressed; instead of peaceful, joy filled, and confident in the Lord. In order to counter this one must constantly go the refuge place of the Most High and trust in Him for their strength daily. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.”
The joy of the Lord is where our strength is found! When we trust in Him, His countenance of joy becomes our stronghold. When we take refuge under the covering and defense of the Lord we are not moved by what we see taking place around us. We become confident in Him and understand that He is our protector, provider, defender, and strong tower of refuge! From this understanding we are able to embrace Psalm 5:12. It says, “For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favor)”
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and His resurrection we have become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. It is in fully accepting this truth over our feelings of inadequacy that will open our eyes to see the invisible shield of God’s goodness surrounding us. When we see the goodwill (pleasure and favor) of the Lord encamped around us we are not tempted to move from the joyful place of safety when times of trouble come. I believe this is the confidence Mrs. Lane had and the reason she was able to continue in a countenance of joy even when the pressures of the school demands were great! May we all come to this place of understanding so when the world looks at us; they will see God’s joy on the countenance of our face and in operation in our lives, the way I saw it in Mrs. Lane.
Prayer: Oh Lord, help me fully understand the place of refuge I have in You so I do not become worried or anxious when adversity comes. Help me to put my confidence and trust in You instead of in myself and my limited understanding. I believe by faith that You surround me with Your goodness, pleasure, and favor! It is in believing these truths, without wavering, where I will make the decision to rest in You when I encounter the pressures of life. I believe by faith that as I walk in these truths, Your countenance of joy will be reflected on my face and in my actions. I praise You for Your loving kindness and Your love for me. Amen
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