Joy Over Despair: It Won’t Always Be Like This
Today we’re diving into a mindset shift that I’ve had to wrestle with personally—joy over despair. And I don’t mean fake-it-‘til-you-make-it joy. I’m talking about the kind of joy that stands up to storms. The kind of joy that says, “It won’t always be like this.”
Despair is Real—But It Doesn’t Get the Last Word
Let’s just be honest: despair is more than sadness. It’s that heavy, hopeless silence that settles into your soul and tries to convince you it’s permanent. And I get it. I’ve walked through grief, betrayal, disappointment—you name it. There were days I had zero joy, days when even breathing felt like work.
But Psalm 42 reminds us that we can talk to our souls.
“Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him…”
There is always a turning point when we call to mind who He is and what He’s done.
“That’s Just My Personality…” Or Is It?
For years I used to say I was just a melancholy person. That it was part of my personality. But recently the Lord showed me—that sadness wasn’t a personality trait. It was a symptom of hopelessness. And the reason I didn’t have hope was because, deep down, I didn’t really believe He would do what He said He would do.
Oof.
That one hurt.
But it also set me free. Because now I know—I don’t have to stay that way. I don’t want to be known as the sad girl anymore. I want to be remembered as someone who radiated joy, even in the fire.
Imogene’s Kind of Joy
There was this woman in my life—Imogene Thompson—and she modeled this for me. She had every reason to complain. She didn’t have a lot. She had health problems. She was a widow. But the woman glowed with joy. She laughed so much it would catch in your chest. Her phrase?
“Things are always subject to change.”
I’ll never forget it. Because joy doesn’t come from perfect circumstances. It comes from the presence of God. That’s why Galatians 5 calls it a fruit of the Spirit. Not something you perform or force—but something that grows when He abides in you.
Joy Is Not a Feeling. It’s a Fruit.
Let me say that again:
Joy is not a feeling. It’s a fruit.
And fruit grows in soil. You know what the soil is?
Your life. Your trials. Your tears. Your waiting. Your wilderness.
That’s where real joy is cultivated.
Joy isn’t denial—it’s defiance. It says, “Yeah, I see the storm, but I’m anchoring my soul in something deeper.”
So, How Do You Get from Despair to Joy?
Here are a few ways I’ve learned to build real, rooted joy in hard seasons:
1. Sabbath Rest
Step away from hustle. Step into delight.
Let yourself rest in the reality that He delights in you.
(Go back and listen to my episode “Sabbath Over Striving.” It wrecked me—in the best way.)
2. Scripture Soaking
Pick one verse. Just one. Let it preach to your soul all week.
Rehearse the goodness of God in your mind like Lamentations 3 says:
“Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope…”
3. Worship on Repeat
If you don’t have the strength to sing, press play and let it fill your space.
Shift the atmosphere with worship.
4. Honest Journaling
Pour your heart out. But don’t stop there.
Write down the remember whens. The times He came through.
The times He didn’t leave you. Gratitude will shift things.
5. Community
Don’t isolate. I know it’s tempting.
But you’re not a burden when you let someone hold hope for you.
I’ve had friends do that for me when I couldn’t even hear God’s voice through the grief. And it saved me.
You Were Meant to Glow
I used to glow.
My aunt told me that when I was little—“Every time I see you, you glow.”
And somewhere along the way, I lost that. Life came in. Lies crept in. Hope drained out.
But I’m getting it back.
And you can too.
Because joy isn’t the absence of pain. It’s the presence of Jesus.
And if He’s with you—then joy is possible. Even here.
One Last Thing
Romans 15:13 says it beautifully:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.”
So maybe this week, instead of saying, “I’ll be happy when…”,
you could start saying,
“I choose joy now, because He is with me—no matter what.”
Thanks for reading. If this blessed you, please share it with someone else walking through a hard season. And if you haven’t yet, check out the full podcast episode on this topic at The Mindset Shift of Joy Over Despair
And remember:
It won’t always be like this.
But even while it is…
joy is still yours.
