When the trials of life unexpectedly come knocking at our door, the last thing we may be thinking about is joy. Yet, the Bible calls us to have joy in life’s most turbulent moments (Jm. 1:2-3). How is this possible? Can a Christian really smile, pray, rejoice, and serve even as the weight of the world presses in?

When the trials of life unexpectedly come knocking at your door, the last thing you may be thinking about is joy. Yet, the Bible repeatedly calls us to have joy in life’s most turbulent times (James 1:2-3). How in the world is this possible? Is it realistic that a Christian can still smile, pray, rejoice, and serve when the weight of the world is squeezing the last drops of joy from their heart? 

I’ll never forget the moment when Pastor Matt burst through my office saying, “Greg, we’ve got to go! There’s an active shooter down the street at our local grocery store.”

The first question I asked was, “Are they detained?” To which he responded, “Don’t know. Let’s go serve our city!”

Yeah, I get it. Anxiety is real. Life gets tough, trials hit, pressure mounts, and our flesh takes over- before we know it, we’re overwhelmed with worry. Thankfully, for those of us who trust in Jesus, we don’t have to wander aimlessly when it comes to anxiety.