Choosing Joy When Life Feels Heavy
“In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” — Psalm 16:11
Joy isn’t the absence of hard things – it’s the presence of God in the middle of them. There will always be days that feel heavy. But choosing joy isn’t pretending everything’s fine; it’s remembering that God is still good.
I remember a season when everything just felt… heavy. It wasn’t one major crisis, just the accumulation of small, weary moments that seemed to pile on top of each other (I’m actually living this right now, honestly). I’d smile through the day, do was needed, and keep going – but deep down, I was running on empty. I kept waiting for things to get easier so I could feel joyful again.
One morning awhile back, sitting quietly with my coffee, I felt too tired to pray but too restless not to try. Outside, a bird landed on the porch rail and sang a few simple notes before flying away. It wasn’t anything profound, but in that moment, I felt peace wash over me. It was as if the Lord whispered, “I’m still here.”
That was the day I realized joy doesn’t come from the absence of difficulty – it comes from the nearness of God. When we stop chasing happiness and start choosing joy, something shifts. Joy is steady, rooted, and anchored in who He is – not what’s happening around us. It reminds us that even in tears, His presence brings peace. We just get so focused on the hard thing that we lose sight of the most important thing. Him. And the joy that can only be going in HIM.
If you’re walking through a difficult season right now, don’t let heaviness steal your song. Speak joy over your heart. Worship when you don’t feel like it. Find beauty in something small today – the sunlight through your window, a kind word from a friend, a moment of stillness – and thank Him for it.
Because joy doesn’t always arrive with a shout. Sometimes, it comes softly – in the quiet assurance that no matter what today holds, you’re not walking through it alone.
Walking with you,
Lynn