During Advent, the word joy is everywhere. We hear it in sermons, see it in decorations, sing it in worship, and read it in our daily Bible studies. And yet, for many of us, this season doesn’t always feel joyful. Instead, it can feel heavy, disappointing, lonely, or painful. When that happens, we wonder whether we’re missing something or, worse, whether our faith is lacking. Part of the struggle is that joy is often confused with happiness. We assume joy should feel like c
I’ve noticed something about the way my mind works when life feels uncertain: my thoughts almost always start drifting toward “what if?” What if this doesn’t work out? What if I misunderstood what God was doing? What if I get disappointed again? What if things don’t change? “What if” thinking feels responsible in the moment, but all it really does is exhaust the heart. It keeps us bracing for impact instead of resting in God’s goodness. It keeps us analyzing every possibility
