5 Practical Ways to Embrace Joy

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:22-25 NLT

It’s not our job to produce joy; the Holy Spirit does that for us. However, our sinful nature contradicts the Spirit and often blocks abundant growth in this area.

Embracing the inner workings of joy is like tending the garden of our soul. The weeds of discontentment must be cleared so that the soil is prepared to produce fruit. Once the ground is cultivated, the Master Gardener does what He can do; He creates a fruitful orchard overflowing with abundant joy.

Embrace what the Lord is working out in you, cultivating the soil of your life for greater joy, peace, and contentment.

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“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12

Whenever I feel low, I step onto my back deck to gaze at the Rocky Mountains extending north to south. Breathing in the fresh air, I feel the warmth of the sun on my face as the Lord recalibrates my soul to receive His joy. It’s as if I’m embracing joy through God’s creation—an outward display of His majesty.

Proverbs 8:30-31 gives us a beautiful word picture of wisdom rejoicing in God’s presence, saying, “Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in humankind.”

Whenever you feel down, find a quiet spot in nature to breathe deeply of God’s presence. Bask in the sunlight as if you’re standing in the light of His love. Before long, the soft breeze of joy will fill your soul anew, strengthening you for the days ahead.

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned, received, heard from, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9

I don’t know about you, but it is SO easy to get caught in unhealthy thought cycles that steal my joy. While I’m getting better at recognizing these thought patterns, reframing my thinking still takes deliberate effort.

Embracing the thought of joy means turning away from negativity and toward whatever is lovely. It takes practice, but once it becomes a habit, you will have successfully trained your mind to focus on things above, not on earth below.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when dealing with negative thought cycles:

Is this thought proper?

Is this belief right?

Is my mind fixed on praiseworthy things?

Right thinking paves the way for abundant joy. It removes the obstacles of doubt, worry, fear, and other toxic thought patterns that often steal our peace. Train your mind to embrace thoughts of joy accompanied by things that are excellent and worthy of praise. What a difference this can make!

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“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

When joy is hard to find, there are actions we can take to rediscover it. It’s sort of like starting a new exercise routine. At first, we don’t notice any changes, but as we exercise, we feel stronger, healthier, and happier.

Embracing the action of joy might include:

• Dancing in the kitchen
• Hiking in nature
• Cuddling with your children
• Serving in your community

Because God created us with all of our senses, He blesses us with experiences that bring feelings of great joy. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

True joy is found in God’s presence, and the path of life is found in Christ Jesus. But until we reach heaven, we are blessed with many opportunities to experience joy with the people we love and the gifts we’ve been given.

Embrace the action of joy by engaging in activities that bring fulfillment to your life. Often, the simplest things bless us most and restore our sense of joy.

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13 ESV

As mentioned earlier, the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of joy in us. He is the third person of the Trinity, mentioned in Genesis 1:1-2, which says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Embracing joy begins with embracing the Creator. He is the One who fills us with all joy and peace in believing, and it is by the power of His Spirit that we abound in hope. Consider how joy and hope go hand in hand. Without hope, joy is absent. But joy abounds when our hope is fixed fully on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

Let God renew your joy as you look to Him, your faithful Creator, who fashioned you in His likeness and breathed His life in you. Each day, choose one way to practically embrace joy and shine the light of Jesus in this dark world. Joy is contagious, so spread it far and wide as the God of all hope fills you to overflowing with all joy and peace in believing.

Heavenly Father, thank You for creating joy to fill our souls with bright hope for tomorrow. Our hope is in You. Please replace negative thoughts with all that is lovely and pure. Help us embrace joy practically, preparing the soil of our hearts to be cultivated by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ holy name, amen.

Related Resource: What Do I Do When God Feels Distant? 

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