04302022 Pleasantness of Life

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our good God who loves to give us blessings. 

The reality that God blesses His children cannot be denied. His statements of blessing are too many to be ignored. Even an objective view of personal experience requires a believer to declare that God has often blessed him. Not all blessing will be constant. Circumstances will change. Nevertheless, there are some aspects of blessing that are constant, and there are many other aspects of blessing that ebb and flow, but the underlying current always exists.

One arena of God’s blessing to believers has to do with the general pleasantness of life. In one word, this can be summarized with the word “give.” God gives to His children in ways that contribute to a general sense of well-being.

This general pleasantness of life can be found in a sense of gladness and joy. There is overlap in the following verses, but each refers to some aspect(s) of gladness, joy, pleasures, songs, and light that God gives. The believer’s way is described as “the path of life.”

“But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them” (Psalm 5:11). “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psalm 40:3). “And in the night his song shall be with me” (Psalm 42:8). “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart” (Psalm 97:11).

The general pleasantness of life can be seen in the quality of blessing that God gives. God doesn’t just give mediocre blessings or provision that is merely adequate. He gives what is good – yea, what is best! He does not hold back from giving this type of good gift.

“Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good” (Psalm 85:12). “He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied you” (Psalm 81:16). “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

The general pleasantness of life can be seen in the quantity that God gives. God gives abundantly, plenteously, bountifully. He gives all that is needed, so that there is no lack, and He often gives well beyond the actual necessity.

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” (Psalm 116:12). “He hath dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6). “For there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing” (Psalm 34:9-10). “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). “My cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:5).

The general pleasantness of life can be displayed in the effect of God’s giving. God’s gifts leave the believer with a sense of contentment, satisfaction, and happiness in realizing the good and abundant provision of God. There is a sense of relaxed well-being in realizing that God has given all that is needed.

“Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things” (Psalm 103:5). “For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee” (Psalm 128:2).

Finally, there are a few specific and practical aspects of this general pleasantness of life. These are to some extent circumstantial in nature, yet they are provisions that God habitually gives.

God gives the blessing of health and healing. “Who healeth all thy diseases” (Psalm 103:3). This is not always in the time frame or to the extent that we desire, but certainly any of us can look back and see that God has done this over and over again. We can look forward and know that He will ultimately do it for every illness.

God gives the blessing of family. “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table” (Psalm 128:3). This does not look the same for everyone, but there is probably no greater contribution to the pleasantness of life than a godly family to enjoy.

God gives the blessing of heritage. “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage" (Psalm 16:6). God gives to each person his place in life, and there can be great pleasure in enjoying the setting that God has appointed.

Even if a believer argues that he does not currently enjoy all of these pleasures in life to the extent that he desires, he cannot deny that he has enjoyed many if not all of them. The fact that God has made each believer’s life pleasant is easily seen when we look at the contrast. There are verses that talk about the (temporary and fleeting) pleasures that the wicked enjoy, but there are also verses that talk about the general state of the wicked, and it is not a pretty sight. The sad plight of the wicked is that of numerous sorrows. “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked” (Psalm 32:10). “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god” (Psalm 16:4). These sorrows come because of the empty futility of life, because of the consequences of their own actions, and because of the lack of blessing from God’s hand.

Is the life of the believer 100% bliss 100% of the time? No. But the believer does enjoy a general and habitual pleasantness of life that cannot be explained in any other way except for the giving of God’s blessing. May you rejoice in these blessings this week.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA