How to Have Joy in Jesus When Life Is Hard
I reach into my pocket for a tissue and pull out a handful of wilted yellow flowers. They’re coltsfoot blossoms—a gift from my son on a warm spring afternoon. We went to the woods because I’ve been learning how to find joy in Jesus even in the dark seasons of life.
Today, my pursuit has led me into open skies.
Withering and wilted, the tiny flowers look pathetic in my pocket, and I make sure he doesn’t see me slip them into the garbage can. But before I can release the crumpled symbols of his love for me, something stops me.
I examine them closely and feel led to walk to the china cabinet in search of a suitable vase. Throwing them into the garbage can simply isn’t an option today. Someday I’ll confess to my children that I’ve quietly discarded art projects, spelling tests, and pet rocks, but for today, I’m keeping the flowers.
How to Find Joy in Jesus Amid Dark Seasons
Staring at the pathetic vase on the dining room table, the flowers from my pocket remind me of several important lessons about how to find joy in Jesus.
Perhaps you need these reminders, too.
Our Lord wants to fill us with his joy. Here are some practical ways to have more joy in Jesus today, even if you are struggling in life:
1. Find joy in Jesus by keeping your eyes open for small miracles.
For close to 30 years, I quit noticing coltsfoot flowers along the roadside.
I quit appreciating the first color to burst forth from the bleak winter landscape.
For a long decade, I became so focused on my career, my goals, and my schedule that I overlooked the thousands of tiny miracles in my midst. I stopped catching snowflakes on my tongue, smelling roses, and making wildflower bouquets.
Sometimes the most powerful way to cultivate joy in a dark season is to open your eyes to the small miracles all around you. #smallmiracles #livingpresent #chasingjoy Click To TweetI’m thankful for the students and children who have reminded me what it means to appreciate the small miracles around me.
Geese overhead bring awe.
Freshly fallen snow on a winter morning is a reason to cheer.
Sunsets warrant cessation of all activity.
I’m slowly becoming less focused on the tasks of the day and growing in gratitude for the small miracles all around.
2. Find joy in Jesus by treasuring what others might discard.
There’s a beautiful housing development about a half-mile from our house.
We live on the outskirts of the development, literally the last house between town and the endless fields of rural farm country. The houses in the development manage to completely eradicate small yellow flowers from their lawns with chemicals and special treatments.
Meanwhile, my son refuses to walk past a colorful flower without picking it for me.
It’s a battle to keep daffodils in our landscaping because he insists on bringing them inside for his mom. Not a dandelion endures the onslaught of his voracious desire for more treasures.
He reminds me that embracing the imperfection of a flower-spotted yard might just be a gateway to greater joy. Similarly, embracing the imperfection of a less-than-perfect life might just free me to live more abundantly.
3. Remind yourself that seasons pass, even the darkest seasons.
The coltsfoot plants emerge on the cusp of spring. The days are just starting to linger longer. Raging blizzards have mostly passed, and warm sunny days alternate with blustery days of flurries and winter hats.
The coltsfoot reminds me that the darkness of winter really will end, and warm days of basking in the sun await.
The dark seasons of our lives generally don’t last forever either.
Even for those of us who endure darkness and trouble throughout much of our lives on earth, there is a greater promise awaiting.
There is a promise of life without tears, pain, or suffering. I’m quite certain it will also be a life of rolling hills of coltsfoot and glistening yards of dandelions. This darkness won’t last forever.
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Attention, all moms and daughters!
Lastly, in addition to writing to adults, I am also passionate about ministering to the next generation.
My 12-year-old daughter Bekah and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book together. We hope to help moms and daughters connect and grow in faith together. Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section.
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