With the verses listed above, it seems that joy is possible when facing the trials of life. Yet many may wonder how you can have joy when you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, facing a personal health crisis, or even enduring the nationwide trials in recent years.
The answer is that yes, you can be joyful in painful circumstances because unlike happiness, joy is found in God and not your wants and needs being fulfilled.
In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shares that joy from the Lord brings strength: “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’” (Nehemiah 8:10).
Joy is possible because difficult situations encourage us to draw closer to the Lord for strength, hope, and guidance on how to proceed forward. Trusting Him brings joy.
Joy doesn’t have to resemble jumping up and down as you go through hard times, but it can look like having peace and hope that things will get better, or even remembering that you aren’t alone in this struggle. God is with you and brings people to you to help comfort you.
Your prayers may not be answered as you would hope, or maybe a painful curveball has entered your life that seems to have knocked the wind out of you. But joy, not happiness, reminds you to stay encouraged and know this situation will turn out for good to the glory of God.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Aricka Lewis