Beyond Happy: Discovering Joy In Unexpected PlacesSample

Finding Joy in Trials and Struggles 

Daniel has lost more friends and family members than he can count.

Living as a refugee in a foreign land, he’s lost loved ones to civil unrest, lack of food and disease. But if you meet him, you’ll likely find him smiling. It’s not a forced smile but one that reflects a joyful heart even in trials. 

Putting the words “joy” and “trial” into the same sentence might seem unbelievable—even ridiculous. How could Daniel be happy about difficulties? About struggles and hard things?

The first step is to acknowledge once more that happiness and joy are different. Circumstances can make you feel sad, angry or disappointed, but that doesn’t mean joy isn’t possible. Daniel has joy because he’s found hope: God is with him, God is for him and one day he will dwell with his Lord in mansions of glory. 

James 1:2-4 says that trials are an opportunity for great joy. That opportunity is a willingness to be transformed by the situation—to change, to learn, to grow. It’s like training for a marathon: Each time you run, you’re pushed a little farther through hurt and hardship. And each time you go a little farther, you become stronger and can endure a bit more as you grow closer to God.

It’s a process of faith.

There’s rarely an immediate joy in the struggle when someone you love is diagnosed with cancer, when you’ve lost your job or when you just can’t seem to conquer that class in school. The circumstances are unhappy, but Scripture reminds us that the struggle is your chance for joy to bloom—like a flower growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. 

God doesn’t expect you to see your tears as blessings right away. He doesn’t ask that you break into a smile the moment a loved one is lost, or jump up and down when your world seemingly falls apart. All He asks is that you say “yes” to the process. Each time you do, you’ll grow and become stronger. And in time, your joy will bloom even in the midst of great trials.

Things to Ponder: 

• Do you feel like you are in a trial, coming out of a trial, or about to enter a trial?
• Why is it hard to find joy in trials and struggles?
• What would finding endurance through trials look like in your life?