Joy

“The joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV)

Joy is not what it used to be. It is no longer loud or obvious. It does not always arrive with celebration or certainty. In this season of life, joy often comes quietly, almost unnoticed, and you have to slow down enough to recognize it.

There was a time when joy felt tied to milestones. Children growing, plans unfolding, dreams moving forward in expected ways. Now joy is more fragile and more intentional. It shows up in moments you did not plan for and cannot control. A meaningful conversation. A shared laugh. A sense of peace that settles without explanation.

Joy now requires courage. It asks you to receive goodness without fear of what might come next. It asks you not to withhold gratitude because you are bracing for disappointment. That kind of guardedness is understandable, but it slowly drains strength.

Scripture does not describe joy as a feeling to chase but as a source of strength. Joy does not deny sorrow. It exists alongside it. Sketchy faith does not wait for everything to be resolved before choosing joy. It chooses joy as an act of trust.

Joy says God is still good, even here. Joy says this moment matters, even if it is small. Joy reminds you that your story is not finished and that God is still at work in ways you cannot yet see.

You are allowed to enjoy what is good today without guilt. Joy is not a betrayal of suffering. It is a gift that sustains you through it.

Personal action:

Today, notice one small moment of joy and thank God for it without questioning how long it will last.

Alycia Neighbours