Joy in God’s Presence
Carolyn Klejment-Lavin,
MA, LPC/A, NCC
2/15/26
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night, my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 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 16:5-11 (NIV)
Some seasons of life feel heavy in ways that can be hard to name. Some of us may move through our days carrying anxiety that hums in the background or grief that lingers just beneath the surface. In those spaces, joy can feel distant — even unrealistic. And yet Scripture invites us to see joy as something that can co-exist with difficult circumstances.
In Psalm 16:11, we read, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Notice where joy is located-not in perfect circumstances, but in God’s presence. God’s nearness and companionship are what hold us steady in life’s difficulties. Joy is not something we chase, but it is something we learn to receive.
Neuroscience research suggests that when we intentionally notice small moments of goodness, what some call cultivating the “hope circuit” in the brain, fear loses some of its intensity. We cannot sustain full fear while also attending to hope and gratitude. The nervous system begins to relax. The body relearns steadiness.
So instead of engineering perfect conditions, controlling outcomes, or exhausting ourselves through constant productivity, what we can practice is receiving. We can notice the tiny joys: a child’s giggle, warm sunlight across the floor, a deep breath, a kind word, and that wonderful first sip of our morning coffee.
These small moments can become reminders that we are held and cared for by God. We can receive those tiny joys as gifts from Him. And over time, that steady awareness shapes resilience-not a manufactured happiness, but a rooted, stabilizing joy grounded in His faithful presence.