Joy In Defiance of Fear

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This week, I decided to spend some time reflecting on joy in the Daily Devos.  God knows, we could all use some joy in our lives.   

I'm writing this now after spending about half an hour perusing the headlines about what's making the news, and finding nothing that seemed optimistic, joyful, or the least bit encouraging.  

It's easy to start thinking that the world is going to end at any moment. There's no shortage of outrage-inducing things happening around us, and the more that we read, watch or engage with this kind of negativity, the more the algorithms make sure we see more of it.  

I read this quote recently from C.S. Lewis that made me smile, and I thought it deserved sharing: 

“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.”

Let me unpack this a bit and reflect on why I think this quote is so important for us to think about, given our current circumstances.

You see, fear has a way of shrinking our lives.

It tells us to brace ourselves constantly for disaster. It trains us to expect disappointment. It convinces us that joy is naive, fragile, or irresponsible in a troubled world. But throughout Scripture, joy repeatedly appears not as denial, but as courage.

In Nehemiah 8:10, the people of Israel are overwhelmed with grief after hearing the Law read aloud, and realizing just how far they had drifted from their covenant with God. Yet Nehemiah tells them, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 

Joy becomes strength precisely because life is difficult—not because it is easy. This kind of joy is not shallow optimism. It is deeper than the pressures of our circumstances.

C. S. Lewis reminds us that joy belongs to the heart of heaven itself. Joy reflects trust that darkness does not ultimately win. It is a refusal to allow fear to dominate the soul completely.

The world often conditions us to believe that anxiety is maturity and cynicism is wisdom. But the Gospel offers another way. Jesus speaks of abundant life (John 10:10). Paul writes about rejoicing always, even from prison (Philippians 4:4). Early Christians sang hymns in the face of persecution because they believed hope was stronger than fear.

Joy can become a sacred act of resistance.

To laugh with friends. To celebrate beauty. To dance at weddings. To plant gardens. To sing loudly in worship. To keep loving people despite heartbreak. These are not small things. They are declarations that goodness still exists and that God’s Spirit is still moving in the world.

Learning to embrace the sacred ordinary teaches us that daily expressions of joy are not escapism; they become a form of spiritual resilience.

And perhaps one of the most faithful things we can do in anxious times is continue choosing joy anyway, despite all the evidence to the contrary.  

Prayer

God of hope and joy, help me resist the fear that seeks to narrow my life and harden my heart. Teach me to embrace joy not as denial, but as trust in your goodness and presence. May your joy strengthen me even in uncertain times. Amen.

Reflection Questions

  1. How has fear affected your ability to experience joy?
  2. What joyful practices help renew your spirit?
  3. In what ways can joy become an act of faithfulness?

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