2 Reminders to Help You Rediscover Biblical Joy in Tough Times
- Amber Ginter iBelieve Contributing Writer
- Updated Nov 21, 2024
It's been 6 months since I left teaching to pursue writing full-time. While most days are filled with adventure, suspense, cups of freshly brewed hot tea, and endless hours of new research ideas, others are lonely, chaotic, and stressful. Being an author is and isn't what I expected—and maybe that's a good thing.
On the hard days, I find myself thinking, "Why didn't I stay with teaching? I had great benefits, good hours, and a wonderful staff. What if my books never sell? How will I care for my medical issues without insurance? What if something happens to my husband and his job?" The grass is always greener on the other side, right? But deep down, no matter how I try to reason it, I know that teaching wasn't meant for me. It was a great job, but I wasn't happy. It was stable, but I wasn't fulfilled. It was a solid career, but it wasn't God's calling on my life. Writing, however, always has been and always will be.
In between doubts, waves of anxiety, pain, and nausea surround me. Clinical anxiety, depression, IBS-C, and Endometriosis will do that to you, to name a few. The 10+ physical and mental ailments assigned to me threaten to steal more than my purpose. They threaten to steal my identity, joy, and ambition. Can you relate?
No matter what circumstances you find yourself in today, I pray that these 2 reminders will help you rediscover biblical joy in tough and messy times. Not because recalling them mitigates your experiences but because they help you look beyond them.
1. Remember God's Definition of Joy
Contrary to popular belief, romantic Hallmark movies, or the latest trending song, joy is not the absence of life’s difficulties or happiness. Disney Pixar’s Inside Out 2 describes this well through Joy, a character who is always happy, optimistic, and chipper. Near the climax of the film, however, even Joy reaches her breaking point. She cries, throws her arms about, and expresses deep anger when life's circumstances get overwhelming. The emotion of “joy” can fluctuate.
Jo, in a biblical sense, isn’t necessarily a lasting emotion but a choice to trust God’s promises despite our circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says it this way: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (NIV). One of my favorite things about this Scripture is knowing that we can rejoice always, giving thanks to God not for all circumstances, but in all occasions. Not everything you experience in this life is good, but only our Creator King can take something the enemy meant for evil, and use it for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28; Genesis 50:20).
Joy (Chara), is a characteristic of God that He gives His people. It’s described as Hedva in Nehemiah 8:10: “...For the joy of the Lord is your strength” (NIV). The joy that you and I possess as Christians can only come by understanding a true definition of biblical joy. It's not something we can cultivate ourselves, and that's why it’s the joy of the Lord that strengthens us. Christ develops this fruit of the spirit in us as we trust in Him.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/PKpix
2. Remember That Joy Is a Fruit of the Spirit
On Wednesday evenings, my husband and I attend a wonderful Bible study with a local church. We just finished a series on the fruit of the spirit, and joy is one of the fruits we talked about often. One thing our leader mentioned is that fruits take time to develop. Though we can go to the grocery store and buy apples, oranges, and bananas, we don't see the years of tending, cultivation, and growth they went through to get where they now are. We don't see the nurtured soil, extra vitamins and minerals added for flavor, or hours of scorching heat and abundant rain. Nevertheless, cultivating joy in our lives is a lot like this process.
Jesus says in John 15:1-8: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire , and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (NIV).
Finding joy amidst struggles doesn’t mean that our problems will cease to exist. It also doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. But God’s given us His Spirit, His Word, and practical tools here on earth to comfort us during tough times. And that requires us to stay connected to the vine. As we grow and mature in our faith, true, everlasting, and sustainable joy is possible. Not because it comes from us but because we're connected to the root source.
God provides us with the sunlight, rain, and nourishment needed to grow into productive and fruitful Christians. We put in the work, but as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9: "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building" (NIV).
What does practically look like in our daily lives?
If you're struggling to find true and pure biblical joy, especially in difficult times, please know you're not alone, and nothing is wrong with you. Those of us with mental and physical conditions know this battle to pursue, and finding this type of joy isn't always easy. But there are simple steps you can take with God to promote the presence of this fruit in your life:
- Meditate on Scriptures that help you feel centered and grounded: Try breathing in through your nose for 4 seconds as you mentally recite the first half of a Bible verse (“When anxiety was great within me”), holding your breath for 4 seconds, and then exhaling through your mouth as you mentally recite the second half of a Bible verse (“Your consolation brought me joy”) (Psalm 94:19).
- Get Outside and Get Moving: Try walking in nature (without your phone) and focusing on the beauty around you. Listen to the sounds, identify things with your senses, and pray as you carry along. Making space and time without technology not only makes you more present but more mindful. Exercise also produces endorphins (feel-good hormones) that help you feel happier overall!
- Be Vulnerable and Transparent with a Therapist and God: Not everyone will need therapy to cultivate joy, but for those who’ve struggled mentally, it's helpful. Try being open and transparent with your therapist, and engage in a prayer together to God about how you’re really feeling/doing. You can also do this through journaling!
Finding joy when life gets tough can be hard. But lasting joy doesn’t require us to deny our pain or pretend everything is fine when it’s not. Finding biblical joy that Scripture talks about reminds us to trust God’s promises even when our circumstances feel out of control. Biblical joy is not a fleeting feeling but an eternal, life-changing perspective. It’s a strength that comes from knowing who God is and who we are in Him despite our earthly hardships.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tara Moore
