It had been one trial after another with financial loss, health crises, and other challenging circumstances that deeply impacted my marriage and my ministry. It became easy to become discouraged and wonder if God was even real. One night, I cried out to him in pain. I asked the Lord to help remove the challenging circumstances so I could have joy again.
But God said something to me that changed my perspective on joy: I could always have joy; I must choose it. We can all agree that life is not the same as it was ten or even fifteen years ago. Strange weather patterns, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, loss of freedom, gun violence, etc., are just some of the many issues plaguing our nation today. It is easy to turn on the TV and hear stories of all the ways our country is deteriorating. Because of this, it is easy to be in despair and lose our joy.
