How to Have More Joy in the Lord—Even When Life is Tough
We are at the creek again today—hoping to imbibe the scarce rays of golden sunlight peering at us from behind the wooded knolls. I long to live with deep roots of joy in the Lord, but the winter months are often challenging.
We’re on the cusp of springtime now. Nevertheless, the winter months have worn on me.
Maybe you can relate.
You might not have to fight for joy in the wintertime, but perhaps you’re navigating a difficult season in your life.
Today, we’ll talk about how to have more joy in the Lord when life is challenging. No matter what your challenge looks like, I pray these words offer healing and hope.
How to Have More Joy in the Lord
1. We will have more joy in the Lord when we consistently look for people to love.
Last summer, I read a book called Finding People of Peace by M.F. Renee. These “People of Peace” are people who are open to godly encouragement and the love of Christ. The book encouraged me to be more intentional about looking for people to love and encourage. I started praying for God to lead me to people of peace before walking into stores, doctor’s offices, my kids’ school, and wherever I went.
As I became more aware of the needs surrounding me, God led me to people who needed his encouragement. Sometimes, I simply complimented a cashier on her nails. At other times, I was able to directly share my faith or even pray for strangers.
God wants us to look for needs to meet and people to love.
Start a habit of looking for people to love and encourage, and God will transform your mind and fill you with joy. You will experience the refreshment that comes from living to encourage and refresh others.
2. We uncover deeper joy by being vulnerable with God and others.
Vulnerability is important because vulnerability builds emotional connections.
Whether we want to establish closer relationships with God or others, vulnerability is essential.
At the end of each day, I spend a few minutes opening my heart to God. I talk to him about the good parts of the day, and I also share the difficult moments. I tell him everything I’m feeling and create space to rest in his love. This practice has deepened my relationship with him more than any other over the past months.
Additionally, joyful people have deep emotional connections with others. Do you have a close inner circle of friends with whom you can share your heart? If not, ask God to bring some inner-circle friends into your life. If so, practice being real with these friends. Your vulnerability will deepen your connections.
3. We find joy when we create space to savor life.
It takes work to create space to savor life, but if we don’t do the work, we might just miss the greatest of gifts of all.
The scent of waffles in the iron on a snowy winter morning.
The sound of children laughing.
Muddy footprints across the otherwise clean tile.
Bouquets of colorful flowers on our tables.
Bitter cold mornings with frost on the spindly arms of the oaks.
Cardinals at the birdfeeder.
If we’re not careful, our everyday moments will slip through our fingertips, and we’ll look back to realize we missed the best of God’s gifts.
If we’re not careful, our everyday moments will slip through our fingertips, and we’ll look back to realize we missed the best of God's gifts. #GodsGifts #Gratitude Share on X
Today, I invite you to pause and pray through these insights.
Where is God leading you? I challenge you to follow him.
A Free Gift to Help You Have More Joy in the Lord:
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Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
