Hope for the Joyless

I’m back after another unscheduled hiatus (hopefully the last such hiatus for a while!). In this post, I’d like to talk about something that has been a big theme for me during this time: joy.

Discussions about joy can be hard. We know God wants us to show joy, but circumstances can make doing so difficult. When we’re in such a dark place, the Bible’s admonitions to rejoice can leave us guilt-ridden or wondering where God’s Spirit is in our lives.

But joy still needs teaching. And there’s hope for us.

Here’s why:

First, if you’ve claimed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, God will never reject you simply for a lack of joy. There’s no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1). None of our failures as Christians—including failure to live joyfully in the Lord—can eliminate us from God’s family. Once we’re in Jesus, we’re in, no matter how we feel.

Second, God issues commands for a reason: He knows we need them. He knows we fear, so He says, “Fear not!” He knows we sink into despair, so He says, “Rejoice!” Our struggles don’t catch Him by surprise. And rather than leaving us to them, He points the way out. His motive is love and His goal is our wellbeing.

Third, our path to obeying these teachings and developing joyfulness is similar to our path to obedience in other areas: It’s a journey. We don’t reach the goal overnight or camp there 24/7 until eternity. Nor do we attain it without a fight. We practice. We take up our daily crosses. We meet opposition. We “get it” and “lose it” and “almost get it” and so on. And we don’t make progress on our own strength—we progress on the power of the Holy Spirit, given to all who trust Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

Fourth, most of God’s commands are actions we can take to exercise joy before we feel it. These commands include: give thanks, praise Him, cast all our cares on Him, present all our requests to Him, and seek His kingdom and righteousness above all else. We don’t have to feel a certain way in order to obey these commands. At the same time, by obeying consistently, we prepare the soil of our hearts to reap a harvest of joy.

Not only does God give us practical ways to exercise joy, but He also provides us reasons to do so. When we lose sight of hope, we can turn to His Word, the Bible, for reminders that hope is still there. We can read those reminders, memorize them, and repeat them as often as we need. We can cling to them in the midst of our darkness and fill our minds with them to help battle lies. Even when joy itself eludes us, we can hold onto the truths and promises that found our joy. And that holding on matters more and sustains us better than mere feelings do or could.

Finally, in the end, joy will triumph in us. Joy is God’s will for His people, just like love and holiness. And His will is destined to prevail, even if it takes a lifetime to reach completion. The fruit of the Spirit that’s ripening now will keep ripening until it reaches fullness. The image of Jesus that the Spirit is molding in us now will someday shine forth in maturity.

If you haven’t already put your faith in Jesus, now’s the time! Believe that He died on the cross to atone for your sins, was buried, and rose to life on the third day afterward to offer you eternity with God. Confess your sins to God and repent of them. Ask His forgiveness. Ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life and Savior of your soul.

Thank Him for His promises, His hope, His Word, His Spirit. Invest in cultivating Christlikeness every day. Study, reflect on, and memorize His Word. Thank Him for His blessings. Praise Him for who He is. Present all your needs, worries, and frustrations to Him in prayer. Ask Him to work His will in you.

On a regular basis, seek and worship Him alongside other Christians. Encourage and support one another in your journey with Jesus. Pray for each other. Remind one another of your hope in Jesus.

When we have no other reason to rejoice, we have Him. And He’s more than enough.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 CSB

NOTE: While investing in spiritual health is important, by itself it doesn’t always solve all issues. If you or a loved one are struggling with negative thoughts or feelings to the point that you’re concerned for your/their safety or wellbeing, please consider reaching out to a professional for help. Not all issues are “faith issues”. Mental health issues, trauma, and abuse are real. And YOU are worth helping.

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Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.