Loss is painful. Often, we face a cumulation of losses in a certain season of our lives.
When this happens, we grieve.
Grief occupies a lot of mental and emotional space. It stirs up anger, anxiety, fear, and loneliness—and makes experiencing joy difficult.
Not only does our joy seem to disappear, but so does our vision for the future. We may even dread the future instead of looking forward to it with joyful expectations.
We ask ourselves, “Will I ever be happy again? Or feel the joy of life again?”
I felt and thought this way after the unexpected loss of my husband.
The loss affected every area of my life, including my relationship with the Lord. I felt bare, dry, and desolate.
But joy is possible to find again.
How to Find Joy Again
“For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind. Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight.” – Isaiah 65:17–18 HCSB
God created us for joy. The entire Bible echoes God’s desire to infuse us with joy, peace, and delight now and forever.
Joy is oxygen for our souls, boosting our strength and resilience.
We feel the joy of life when we are happy about the good things we see and experience, but the joy of the Lord is the source of our strength (Neh 8:10).
We may temporarily lose our joy of life, but we have constant, permanent access to the joy of the Lord!
Rediscovering joy means learning to renew our connection with God and tap daily into His presence, regardless of our mental and emotional condition.
Four Steps on Our Way Back to Joy and Spiritual Renewal
#1 – Believe God wants to restore joy.
“Then the young woman will rejoice with dancing, while young and old men rejoice together. I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief.” – Jeremiah 31:13 HCSB
God is the God of “Again!”
He plans and works for restoration even before the tragedy strikes. We can trace His purpose and unwavering intention from the beginning of the Bible to the end.
God has a plan for redemption, restoration, and complete healing. An “again” will come into our lives.
God spoke through the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah to give His people hope and comfort (Jer 31:13; Is 61:3).
This can also be true in our personal lives. But we need to trust that the Lord wants to heal us and restore our joy.
#2 Trust God’s process.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6 HCSB
Finding joy again is a process, a journey. It takes time, intentionality, and patience.
Faith stays the course and waits for healing and transformation, especially when all we see is ashes.
This journey has its lows and highs, detours, and obstacles. But God is a faithful guide who knows the way and the goal.
As long as we stay close to God and follow Him, we can be sure He tirelessly works in our hearts for revival, fresh growth, and blessings.
We should trust Jesus, who is the Way, and His process.
Let’s resist the temptation to rush the process or take matters into our own hands by trying to numb ourselves with temporary pleasures.
Jesus is the better—and only perfect—way for us.
#3 – Cooperate with God to find joy again.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.” – John 15:5 HCSB
We’re not passive recipients, but active participants in the process of spiritual renewal.
We cooperate with God when we don’t exclude Him from our mental landscape.
We connect with the Lord in daily prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to fill us afresh and breathe new life into our desolate places.
We listen and pay attention to God’s voice as we read, study, and meditate on His word.
When we feel His gentle prompting to take a certain step, we obey.
As God’s people, we seek to know the truths the Lord reveals to us, apply these truths, and connect and engage with Him mentally and emotionally.
Rediscovering joy is a matter of abiding in God and His love. Focus, time, and intentionality are necessary elements to abide in Christ.
#4 – Cultivate gratitude.
“Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 HCSB
Gratitude is an important ingredient in the cocktail of joy. It allows God’s love, peace, and joy to flow freely into our hearts and minds.
Gratitude changes our focus from ourselves to God and helps us to connect with Him.
Cultivating gratitude is a matter of practice—an attitude we can learn as the Bible instructs us.
When I was in the deepest trenches of grief, I started writing in my journal three things I was grateful for from the previous day. Soon the list grew longer.
This simple practice helped me see the good in my life. My eyes opened to see God’s fingerprints in my days and I felt cared for and loved.
Gratitude helps us connect to God’s love and enables our hearts to find joy.
Joy Ahead
“In Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.” – Psalm 16:11 HCSB
Friend, finding joy again with God is possible.
More joy is coming.
God promised us an eternity beyond imagination.
He promised we’ll live in His presence with no barriers between us, enjoying Him forever.
Joy restored. Peace restored. Wholeness restored.
Forever.
Hadassah Treu
Hadassah Treu is an award-winning author of Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings, speaker, motivator, and co-author of 13 devotional and poetry anthologies, featured on many popular sites and podcasts. She loves encouraging people to draw near to God in the dark valleys of life. Grab Hadassah’s free book “How to Overcome Disappointment” and connect with her website.
