40 Daily Devotionals for Lentنموونە

Freedom through Enjoying God

Weekly Overview:

Why should we spend time alone with God? Why is meeting with God in the secret place so important? Until we gain an understanding of the immense value and availability of encountering God, we will never consistently engage in this foundational, vital practice. As we discover God’s heart to meet with us in order that we might experience the depths of his love, I pray that your life would be marked by a new grace to consistently and powerfully encounter the living God.

Scripture: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Devotional:

You were created to enjoy God. The Westminster shorter catechism says, “Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." David wrote in Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; 
in your presence there is fullness of joy; 
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” We were designed to seek enjoyment in God. We were made to delight ourselves in his goodness, his provision, the wonders of his creation, and the simplicity of his unconditional love. 

So important—so powerful—is finding enjoyment in God that it has the power to set us free from sin. You see, when we don’t seek enjoyment in God we will naturally seek it in the world. We can’t live our lives apart from pleasure. We aren’t created to live without happiness, love, passion, and joy. 

Most of us have been indoctrinated to the idea that we sin because we aren't controlled enough. We believe that if we could just get rid of a need for pleasure or enjoyment, we’d be free. Self-control is absolutely crucial in experiencing freedom from sin, but we will never be able rid ourselves of our immense need to enjoy life. We will never stop seeking pleasure because we were made to be satisfied in the riches of God’s love. 

Until you establish a daily rhythm of enjoying God, you will never experience true freedom from sin. Until your longing to be fully known and fully loved is satisfied in the wealth of God’s affection for you, you will never stop seeking it elsewhere. Until you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are cared for, thought about, liked, and wanted by your Creator, you will never stop trying to satisfy those needs in others. 

Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Take time today to taste and see that your heavenly Father is truly good. Allow him to fill you with a revelation of his love. Rest in his presence. And as you enjoy God, allow him to draw you deeper in toward his heart and away from the cares and pursuits of the world. 

Guided Prayer:

1. Reflect on your need for joy and pleasure. Look at your own life and acknowledge your need for passion, purpose, happiness, peace and joy.

2. In what ways are you seeking fulfillment in the world? What sin in your life is the result of not being fully satisfied in God? Who or what are you turning to for fulfillment in opposition to God? 

3. Take time to let God to satisfy your longings. Open your heart to God and let him reveal the depths of his love. Ask him for a revelation of how he likes you, wants you, and enjoys you. Let his love for you begin to draw you near. 

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8

“You make known to me the path of life; 
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
 at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him'—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” Through the Holy Spirit, you can know how God feels about you. You have access to a limitless wealth of affection and unconditional love. God has unimaginable things prepared for you simply because he loves you. May you find total fulfillment today in the goodness and love of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5