God’s Name: My Exceeding Joy

God’s Name: My Exceeding Joy

Simha Gil (Hebrew)

Excerpted  from The Surprising Joy of Exploring God’s Heart
A Daily Adventure with 365 of His Names
2011 Relationship Resources, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.

Psalm 43:4 (ESV)

Steps on Your Journey to Know God More Intimately:

• Simha means joy, gladness and rejoice. Gil means rejoice and joy.
• Think about this name. The God of gods is your joy. And He doesn’t want to be just a small amount of joy. He is your exceeding joy. He wants to overwhelm you with His joy. So why don’t you always feel that joy? Ask the Lord to show you. Here’s one thought, but definitely not the only reason. Just like any of His names, I have a choice to let Him be all that He wants to be in my life. He’s not going to force me or you to have joy.
• In John 15:11, Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Jesus wants us to have His joy and that it will be complete. Ask the Lord to show you what that looks like for you.
• Let the Lord be your exceeding joy today. If you don’t feel it, ask Him to show you what might be standing in your way of receiving it. But don’t forget to wait for Him to answer and show you. I’m convinced there are times that I don’t experience His joy because I’m too busy—even doing good things for God or just talking to him, but I don’t take the time to listen—really listen. What about you?
• I co-wrote a book called The Door to Joy about discovering deeper joy in life. You can learn more at www.RelationshipResources.org.

A Prayer for You:

Lord, I praise You that You are my Exceeding Joy. Thank You that when I focus on You and get to know You more intimately, I experience more of Your joy. I’m ready for You to overwhelm me with Your joy.

Just a reminder: If this blog is blessing you, would you share it and The Surprising Joy of Exploring God’s Heart with others. I am getting the word out about it solely by word of mouth.  You could send an email and/or post something on any of your social media. To make it easy for you, I have a page of sentences you can cut and paste or change to make it say whatever you would like it to say. Go to 365namesofgod.com.

You can get a free sample, if you don’t yet have your own copy of The Surprising Joy of Exploring God’s Heart.