Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord cheerfully.
Come into his presence with a joyful song.
Psalm 100:1–2
Happiness and joy aren’t the goal of faith but are the symptoms. When your love of God is real, the natural result of that love in your life is happiness. His presence is like candy to a kid and a smile to a stranger. For the God Girl, coming into his presence after being in a war-torn world can be pure exhilaration, and that’s where the shouts of joy come from. “Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth” (Ps. 100:1). Have you ever shouted for joy? The most expressive and passionate sounds to come out of the mouth of the God Girl are most often directed to her God. His goodness fills her heart to overflowing, his power draws out her sense of awe and admiration, and she has to shout. And when she serves him it’s with pure joy, because to serve the one you love is to truly live.
As a God Girl you are called to come into his presence with a joyful song (see Ps. 100:2). Is your song joyful? Or is it robotic? Do you mean it when you sing it? If not, then close your mouth. Don’t lie to God as you worship him. Be honest as you sing; be loving as you praise. Believe what comes out of your mouth, or don’t say it.
The fear of the Lord leads to a joy that must be expressed back to him. Experience more of God by learning more about him. As you learn how he thinks and what he has said and as you do what pleases him, you yourself will also be pleased.