Advent Reflections: Joy When Life Feels Joyless

In various carols and songs, Christmas is presented as a season of joy. In fact, in the Gospel of Luke the angel appeared to the shepherds and said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Christ’s birth was cause for celebration! Today, that joy is still available, even if for some it may not be easily accessible.

Finding Joy When Life Seems Joyless

I know that this season can be full of grief and loneliness for some. It can be full of constant reminders of the joy that’s been taken away. It can feel difficult to find a reason to celebrate and rejoice when everything in the season is a reminder of loss and pain. If you’ve been going through this, I want to say that you are seen. I also want to acknowledge that extra happiness around Christmas can be tough to be around.

But I also want to remind you of something. Let’s think back to Israel for a second. They’d been promised many great things, including a savior who would free them from their enemies. But they still hadn’t seen the promise. They hadn’t received word from God, the same God who promised to always be there, in over four hundred years. They had no reason to rejoice. They were oppressed and even God Himself seemed to have abandoned them.

And yet, one night, an angel showed up to some shepherds. The very shepherds who belonged to a nation God seemed to have abandoned. Men who hadn’t heard a prophet, nor seen any miracles. They were probably trying to make a living, keeping sheep and serving a God whom they were uncertain was still there. But then an angel was before them, and he had news that caused joy to spring up in their hearts. The savior, the long awaited savior and the Son of God, had arrived. They had found a reason to rejoice.

Finding a Reason to be Joyful

These shepherds had a reason to celebrate, and it was all because of a baby. Life can be like this sometimes. We might be in the middle of the deepest of pain when out of the blue the smallest glimmer of joy breaks through. Now, these men had a reason to rejoice, and it was because the Son of God had been born.

Today, even if you find yourself in the middle of grief, know that this very news shared years ago is still pertinent today. Jesus was born! Not only that, He grew up, served, loved, died, resurrected, and ascended. And one day, He is coming back again. But while we wait, He is still healing, restoring, and breaking through the darkness. In the valleys of our life, He is still shining His light while He holds our hand. We, like the shepherds, have a reason to rejoice.

God Hasn’t Abandoned You

Maybe you have felt like God abandoned you, or failed you. Maybe you feel like He stopped speaking or doesn’t care anymore. If you do, look up! The same news those angels proclaimed that first Christmas is still being proclaimed to you. It might look unexpected and, yes, even small. Jesus Himself arrived as a defenseless baby. But sometimes the greatest breakthroughs arrive in seed form.

Joy, like love, is a choice. Is it easy? No. Not always. But God Himself can give us joy when we are joyless, and hope when we are hopeless.

An Invitation to Joy

I believe this Christmas season, He is inviting us to lean on His joy and learn to rejoice again.

Nehemiah 8:10 says: “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”

Even if you are still grieving, or going through pain, take a moment today to look up and see everything God has made available. He has joy for you, even if you don’t have joy for yourself. This Christmas, make a choice to step into the feast God has prepared. Believe that the joy of the Lord is your strength. You don’t have to work up your own joy, rather, you lean into His joy. 

Lean into Him. Why? Because even when it feels like He has abandoned you and given up, He hasn’t. You just have to open your eyes and find Him. Remember, He may be in the most unexpected of places. But He is still here.

Reflect

If you have felt like you can’t hold on to joy this season, take some time to ask God to give you His joy. His joy is the best, and with it comes strength. Let us make room for Him and His joy, knowing that while He sees our pain, He also strengthens us through joy.

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing”

Until next time,
Anna

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash