This is the power of our Heavenly Father’s love.

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me no with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” — Psalm 16:11

When we are in Christ, we can experience this love, not as an abstract concept, but as a living reality. God’s love meets us exactly where we are. If you’re lonely, He promises, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). If anxiety is crushing you, He whispers, “Cast all your anxiety on me because I care for you” (1 Peter 5:7). If you’ve been hurt or abandoned, He reminds you, “I’ve been there — I was pierced by the world I came to save. And I will wipe every tear from your eyes” (Revelation 21:4). If you feel worthless, He gently declares, “You are made in My image, and in Christ, you are My beloved child” (Genesis 1:27; 1 John 3:1).

Whatever ache you carry, the love of the Father has already gone deeper.

We often try to meet these deep needs with the things of this world. In fact, our desire for worldly solutions and pleasures can sometimes dominate. There is something my old pastor used to say about this that has stuck with me: “The problem isn’t that our desire is too big. It’s that it’s too small.” We settle for so little — momentary thrills, comforts galore, endless streams of entertainment, accumulating wealth, or the approval of crowds. We chase these things hoping they’ll give us meaning and heal our pain. But they never do.

Yet there’s something far greater offered to us: the joy of the Father’s presence.

King David expresses it so beautifully in Psalm 16:11: “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.” In His presence is fullness of joy. Not momentary fun. Not a hit of dopamine. But joy that endures — eternal pleasure grounded in relationship with God Himsel

This article by Kurt Mahlberg appeared at the right time for me. I had to call 000 as I thought both my cardiac and respiratory systems were in failure. I am in hospital and responding to treatment. It was nice to be reminded who to turn to and where my ultimate joy will be derived from.