Joy: The ABC’s
Joy grows when we remember what’s true: God is near, even now. He’s not waiting for us to clean up or calm down. He’s already with us, ready to pour out his Spirit. So we stop spiraling, breathe deep and ask for help. Joy doesn’t depend on what’s happening around us. It depends on who’s right here.
When Nothing Else Matters
When you glimpse the joy of Christ, everything else shifts. You stop needing to prove yourself. Stop chasing things that never satisfy. The goals, the image, the striving — it all fades.
Joy Even in Chains
Joy isn’t the absence of pain. It’s not tied to comfort, ease or getting your way. Joy is a choice. Paul made it in chains. We can too — right in the middle of everything we don’t understand. Whether you’re staring down disappointment, rejection or just a world that feels upside down, God’s invitation stands: Rejoice. Not later. Not someday. But now. Joy isn’t just possible. It’s who you’re becoming.
Work: Learning to Take Joy in Our Toil
We weren’t made to work just to survive, or to prove our worth. At its best, work is participation — in what God is doing, in healing and reconciling the world. But that takes reframing. It means asking whether our work reflects his purposes. It means letting go of the lies about status and success, and learning to take joy in serving.
Miracles Happen in the Mundane
Jesus didn’t wait for a grand stage to hand out joy. He stood on a hillside — ordinary, unimpressive — and spoke the words that changed everything.