Overcome worry, embrace joy, and find lasting peace through prayer, gratitude, and a heart resting in Christ.
As the holidays approach, we know we want to create an atmosphere of joy in our homes. Before we can give joy to others, however, we must have joy ourselves.
Joy is not a result of specific circumstances or resources—it is a fruit of the Spirit. Joy is a gift that flows from our relationship with God.
One of the greatest and most common joy-killers is worry. It is impossible to experience joy and worry simultaneously—they are opposites. Yet, worry often disguises itself as something noble.
We may dismiss happiness as shallow or believe that worry reflects responsibility or concern. However, Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount make it clear: worry is futile. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
Worry accomplishes nothing.
Understanding Worry and Its Root
Worry, at its core, is a form of anxiety. While we might try to separate the two—perhaps because “anxiety” feels heavier or more sinful—the reality is that both spring from a heart wrestling with control.
Just as frustration is a form of anger, worry is a form of anxiety.
The Bible does not call us to be unemotional or unaffected by life’s challenges. We can feel the weight of life without caving to anxiety.
Difficulties will come. Trials will weigh on us. Uncertainty may disturb us. This is true. However, hard times are not an invitation to stew in worry—they are a prompt to pray.
Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
This verse is a common Sunday School memory verse for a reason: it teaches us to turn anxiety into an opportunity for faith, trust, and peace.
Anxiety as a Call to Prayer
Instead of trying to suppress anxiety, we can embrace it as a reminder to turn to God. When we do, we give our desire for control, knowledge, and ease over to Him, and He gives us His peace in return. It's a promise.
Perfectionist thinking may tempt us to avoid ever admitting to anxious thoughts, but Scripture doesn’t command us to never feel anxiety. Rather, it calls us to reject the state of ongoing worry. When we feel worry, we are told what to do. When we follow God's instructions in faith, God replaces our worry with peace.
Care, worry, anxiety is a natural response to living in a fallen world, but it should lead us to action—specifically, the action of prayer. When worry strikes, we have two choices: dwell on it or cast it on the Lord. Which will you choose?
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.” This assumes we will have cares!
The issue is not that worries come upon us but what we do with them. If we cling to our worries, trying to solve them in our own strength, we forfeit peace. But when we hand them over to Jesus, we receive the peace that passes understanding.
A New Perspective on Challenges
Sometimes, God uses our struggles to draw us closer to Him. I was once chatting with an older woman who struggled with insomnia. Instead of lamenting her inability to sleep, she chose to see those times as invitations to pray. Whatever or whoever came to mind during the night, she lifted to God in prayer. What could have been a time of worry became an opportunity for faith, obedience, and even joy.
Her perspective shift is a reminder that the stories we tell ourselves shape our responses. We can see trials as burdens, or we can see them as tools God uses to deepen our reliance on Him.
Happiness, Joy, and Gratitude
We must distinguish between worldly happiness and true joy. Worldly happiness often stems from temporary pleasures, like enjoying a holiday meal or unwrapping a gift. These moments are good—they are gifts from God meant to be enjoyed with gratitude. When we receive God's good gifts of material and physical pleasure, we taste His joy and not mere satisfaction of appetite.
Joy is rooted in Christ, deepened in a life oriented toward Him. Aristotle, in his philosophy of eudaemonia, recognized that true happiness involves virtue. As Christians, we understand this fully: Jesus is the Perfect Man, the epitome of virtue. His excellence is ours when we are found in Him. Ultimate joy, then, comes from walking in obedience to God and knowing Christ.
After all, we are not called to a Stoic denial of pleasure. Christians are not Stoics. We are not called to suppress our emotions or reject earthly happiness. Instead, we are to channel our emotions rightly and enjoy God’s good gifts with thanksgiving.
When we savor a piece of chocolate or a warm holiday gathering, we are not simply delighting in the thing itself but in the God who provides it. When we do, we have a joy unbelievers can never understand.
How to Cultivate Joy
- Recognize Worry as a Signal
When worry or anxiety arises, let it prompt you to pray. Name your concern, release it to God, and trust Him to handle it. - Immerse Yourself in Scripture
Passages like Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Peter 5:7 remind us of God’s care and call to peace. Make these verses a daily meditation. - Shift Your Perspective
Reframe challenges as opportunities for obedience and faith. Consider how God might be using your difficulty to draw you closer to Him. - Embrace Gratitude
Cultivate thankfulness for both the spiritual and material blessings in your life. Recognize God’s hand in every good thing. - Seek First the Kingdom
Prioritize your relationship with God above all else. Joy flows from aligning your life with His Word.
Joy as the Heart of the Holidays
As we enter the holiday season, remember that joy must be in your heart before you can fill your home with it. Perfect decorations or elaborate celebrations don't epitomize Christmas. Instead, Christmas is a time to taste and see that God is good and Jesus cares for us.
From this foundation, we can truly rejoice, savoring the good gifts of the season and sharing joy with those around us.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and it grows when we choose faith over worry, gratitude over grumbling, and prayer over self-reliance. May this holiday season be one of abiding joy as you trust God and delight in His goodness.
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