By: .H.H. Pope Tawadros II
There are three keys to delight in the Lord:
Time: We live in a fast-paced world, and life goes by quickly, so make sure to steal some time for yourself with God in any way you can. Do you give spiritual time to God? Are you committed to it? In chemistry, there is what is called “reaction time.” In your relationship with God, you need similar time. In the first Psalm, the psalmist says the righteous person is like a tree planted by streams of water. Imagine how much time a tree needs to deepen its roots into the ground and bear its fruit in due season. One of the harsh realities of our time is that modern devices steal our time. Therefore, it’s important to use such devices wisely. The element of time and balance in it is of utmost importance. We may differ in form, language, or ability, but we share time. We all have 24 hours in a day, so wisdom is needed in how to use time.
Repentance: This is the process of emptying the heart of any sin. At the end of the year, it is natural for a person to make an account of their gains and losses in life. Is there anything more precious than your life? You will stand before God and give an account of your stewardship. Therefore, repentance is one of the keys to experiencing joy with God, for there is no fellowship between light and darkness. Sin brings sorrow, depression, sighing, fear, and shame, while repentance lifts all these feelings and opens the doors for you to delight in God. Repentance only comes with genuine feelings in a person. If someone sees themselves as righteous, how will they offer repentance? How will you justify yourself before God? We pray every day and say: “We thank you for protecting us, helping us, and preserving us…” A person cannot delight in God as long as they are in sin. Many complain about the absence of the feeling of God’s presence. We tell them: repent to feel God’s presence.
Through acts of Love: You will not feel and will not delight in God unless you practice love with everyone. The commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. The neighbor here refers to human kinship. If someone lacks the capacity for love, how will they delight in God? Imagine you have a sealed bottle and you put it under the tap to fill it with water. Can it be filled? Open your heart to be filled with God’s love so that you can love everyone. Whenever you are upset with someone, look at the cross and look at Christ who loved everyone. Live in an atmosphere of love, for a person without God’s love in their heart cannot delight in God.
