Delighting in God: The Heart of Our Purpose

So often, we are taught to follow, love, trust, and surrender to God, but rarely are we encouraged to enjoy Him. Yet, the very purpose of our lives is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is not a peripheral idea, but a central truth woven throughout Scripture. The Psalms are filled with language of delight, satisfaction, and rejoicing in God Himself—not just in His gifts. Paul commands us to “Rejoice in the Lord always,” and the Westminster Shorter Catechism summarizes the chief end of man as “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Yet, for many believers, this enjoyment is weak or even absent, often because we have not been taught to pursue it, and because spiritual opposition seeks to keep us from it.

Enjoying God is not about ignoring the good things He gives us—like Blue Bell ice cream or family—but about putting Him above all else, savoring His character, and making Him our greatest treasure. When we contemplate the Lord’s glory—His weight, importance, brilliance, and beauty—we are transformed. This is the promise of 2 Corinthians 3:18: as we gaze at God’s glory, the Holy Spirit changes us, little by little, into the image of Christ. Our job is not to manufacture transformation, but to behold God, and let Him do the work in us.

This enjoyment is not passive or automatic. It is cultivated through habits: privately praising God for who He is, memorizing and praying Scripture about His character, reading the Bible to see God, listening to worship that exalts His nature, and filling our minds with books and songs about Him. Like a jeweler discovering a priceless diamond, we must look closely and regularly at the beauty and worth of God. As we do, joy grows—not just in our minds, but in our hearts and lives. This is not just for Sunday mornings, but for every day, in the quiet places of our lives. When we truly enjoy God, it changes us, our families, our church, and our world.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Enjoying God is a command and the very purpose of our lives. Scripture repeatedly calls us to delight, rejoice, and find satisfaction in God Himself, not just in His gifts. This is a foundational truth that shapes our identity and mission as believers. [10:38]
• 2. The transformation into Christlikeness comes not by striving, but by beholding. As we contemplate the glory—the weight and beauty—of God, the Holy Spirit works in us, changing us from the inside out. Our focus must be on gazing at God, not on self-improvement. [23:25]
• 3. Spiritual opposition, our flesh, and the world all conspire to keep us from enjoying God. The enemy knows that a believer who truly delights in God is powerful and contagious. Recognizing this battle helps us prioritize the pursuit of God’s presence above all else. [15:25]
• 4. Private, personal praise is a powerful habit that cultivates joy in God. Beyond corporate worship, we are called to daily declare God’s character, meditate on His attributes, and let our hearts respond in faith. This practice fills us with joy and anchors us in God’s reality. [32:11]
• 5. We often live unaware of the riches we possess in Christ, like the woman who didn’t know the value of her heirloom. Only by regularly gazing at God—through Scripture, prayer, and worship—do we begin to grasp the depth of His worth and the joy available to us. [35:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:40] - Opening Prayer
• [02:01] - Discovering Enjoyment in God
• [03:58] - The Chief End of Man: Glorify and Enjoy God
• [05:56] - Biblical Foundations for Enjoying God
• [08:39] - Rejoicing in God’s Character
• [10:38] - The Command and Weakness of Enjoying God
• [12:48] - The Key Promise: 2 Corinthians 3:18
• [14:08] - Why Enjoying God Is Neglected
• [16:47] - Contemplating the Lord’s Glory
• [19:29] - The Weight and Brilliance of God’s Glory
• [22:48] - Transformation by Beholding
• [24:44] - Jesus: The Joy-Filled Son
• [27:25] - Practicing Contemplation Together
• [31:28] - Five Habits for Enjoying God
• [34:14] - The Parable of the Priceless Jewel
• [36:58] - Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) — > And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Psalm 63:1-8 (ESV) — > O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Philippians 4:4 (ESV) — > Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Observation Questions

1. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, what does Paul say happens to us as we “behold the glory of the Lord”?
2. According to Psalm 63, what kind of language does David use to describe his relationship with God? What does this reveal about his feelings toward God?
3. In Philippians 4:4, what is the specific command Paul gives, and what is the focus of that command?
4. The sermon mentions that “enjoying God is a command and the very purpose of our lives.” Where in the Bible readings or sermon do you see this idea supported? [[10:38]]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says that transformation into Christlikeness comes “not by striving, but by beholding.” What does it mean to “behold” God’s glory, and how is this different from trying to change ourselves by our own effort? [[23:25]]
2. Why do you think so many Christians, as the sermon says, have a “weak or even absent” enjoyment of God? What are some reasons given in the sermon? [[14:08]]
3. The sermon draws a distinction between enjoying God’s gifts (like family or ice cream) and enjoying God Himself. Why is this distinction important? [[16:06]]
4. The sermon describes spiritual opposition, our flesh, and the world as things that “conspire to keep us from enjoying God.” How might these forces show up in everyday life? [[15:25]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon suggests that most of us have not been taught to enjoy God, and that this is often missing from our spiritual lives. Looking back at your own faith journey, have you ever been encouraged to enjoy God? If not, how has that shaped your relationship with Him? [[03:19]]
2. The pastor shared practical habits for cultivating joy in God, like privately praising God, memorizing Scripture about His character, and reading the Bible to see God. Which of these habits feels most natural to you, and which one would be a stretch? Why? [[31:28]]
3. The sermon uses the image of a jeweler discovering a priceless diamond to describe how we often live unaware of the riches we have in Christ. Is there an area of your life where you feel you’re missing out on the “riches” of knowing God? What might it look like to “gaze at God” in that area? [[35:33]]
4. The pastor said, “Our job is not to manufacture transformation, but to behold God, and let Him do the work in us.” Are there areas where you’ve been trying to change yourself by your own effort? How could you shift your focus to beholding God instead? [[23:25]]
5. The sermon mentions that enjoying God is not just for Sunday mornings, but for every day, in the quiet places of our lives. What is one specific way you could practice enjoying God this week outside of church? [[36:22]]
6. The pastor described spiritual opposition as a real barrier to enjoying God. Are there specific distractions, lies, or pressures in your life that keep you from delighting in God? What is one step you could take to address them? [[15:25]]
7. The sermon says that when we truly enjoy God, it changes us, our families, our church, and our world. Can you think of a time when someone’s joy in God impacted you? How might your own enjoyment of God influence those around you? [[36:58]]