Meditation Thought: “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?” (Psalm 116:12)
When we are able to dispense goodness to others, our children, for example, what pleases us in return? Grateful hearts, loving actions, and happy countenances. Since we are made in God’s image, it would be logical to assume these please God also.
Our grateful hearts can be expressed in terms of praise, of time spent with the Lord in study of His Word, and in prayer. Our loving actions can be expressed to those around us, for we are assured by Jesus’ own words that when we help others it is the same as helping Him. Surely God is pleased when we smile and are enthused and in every way possible exude a joyful attitude because of the works He is doing in our lives.
As we learn to praise Him in every circumstance, knowing this action is pleasing to Him and beneficial to us, both immediately in terms of relieving stress, and later in God’s working freely in the circumstances, we do have the pleasure of joy in Him, and not a dependency of feeling on circumstances. Joy in Him must be what He wants us to render to Him for His goodness towards us. The scriptures point to this, and our human experiences point to this.
Meditations of Marie's Heart 