Have you ever tried to fake joy? If I’m honest, I have. Sometimes I wake up on Sundays and have to remind myself that I “get to” serve and worship with my church family. Then, on Monday morning, I prod myself with reminders that I “get to” enjoy the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship and homeschooling my child. But joy is hard to force and impossible to fake. When I’m struggling, I tell myself to push through because God deserves my faithfulness. I wonder if joy really matters, so long as I do what God has entrusted to me.

Joy is a Command

While it’s true that our feelings shouldn’t inform our obedience to God, the Bible actually commands us to be joyful (Ps. 32:11). Your joy matters to God, and it’s possible to have joy in any circumstance when you center your joy on the unchangeable character of God: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). As we abide in Christ, finding our delight and fulfillment in him, the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of joy in us (Gal. 5:22).

Joy is a Fruit

As I write this, I’m anticipating the first fruits of my indoor tomato plants. When the flowers on tomato plants drop without producing fruit, it’s a red flag that the plant isn’t receiving the nutrients it needs from the soil. Likewise, when we are lacking the spiritual fruit of joy, we need to inspect where we are planting ourselves and looking for nutrition. Jesus tells us in John 15:1–17 that when we abide in him—when we are planted in him—our joy will be full (John 15:10–11). 

When I lack joy, it's usually a sign that instead of abiding in Christ, I planted myself in the inadequate soil of self-sufficiency. Even now, I’m recovering from the desire to be self-made in my business, but I’m receiving renewed joy as I learn to parent and work from a childlike dependence on God. Keeping God the source of our joy is the key to defending it from common thieves like comparison, envy, selfish ambition, and pride. 

Practical Ways to Experience Joy

God has placed us in our current season to produce obedience and joy. And because he is the source of our joy, we can identify activities that delight us and make us feel connected to God right where we are. This doesn’t mean our challenges disappear but that we learn to identify ways to intentionally delight in God as we encounter them. Although I don’t like insects or the heat, I love summers spent gardening. The time spent in nature helps me connect with God. It feels intimate when my hands are covered in dirt—creating with God. 

Does work feel overwhelming? Take a stroll through a park in between your business meetings. Watch the birds and remember how God sees you and knows what you need. Are you struggling to hang on to God’s grace as a mom? Write a poem or meditate on the gospel during your child’s naptime. Are you feeling stifled in your purpose? Consider how you could serve others in your neighborhood or church. Are you grieving or working through disappointment? Read Psalm 30, then rewrite it as an honest prayer to God about everything that you’re feeling. 

Rekindle Your Relationship With God

The outlet of our joy may vary from believer to believer, but one thing remains the same: recovering it lies in rekindling our relationship with God, the ultimate source of true joy. It involves shifting our motivation from self-focus to worship. Finding creative ways to connect with God helps us find delight in both the extraordinary and the mundane. When you feel tempted to drudge through service to God, take time to abide in Jesus and recover your joy.