DAY 22 — Joy Takes Time

Joy doesn’t come instantly. It’s not a light switch—it’s more like a slow-growing tree, cultivated day by day.

Jeremiah knew this. At first, he resisted God’s call. He was fearful, convinced he wasn’t the right man for the job. But over time—even through hardship—God’s Word became his delight. He didn’t just skim the pages; he “ate” the words. He took them in, chewed on them, and digested them until they became the joy of his heart.

Isaiah echoes this lesson:

“Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.” —Isaiah 50:10 ESV

When life feels dark—oozing with disappointments, life-changing diagnoses, and uncertainties—the call is simple but hard: keep trusting. Even if it’s only by your fingernails, hang on. Because when your grip is weak, God’s grip on His own never slips.

Joy takes time, my friend. Keep trusting, keep eating His Word, and God assures us joy will grow.

I was reminded of this lesson on a kayak trip in Hawaii with my youngest daughter. The water was rough, and she got tired, so she stopped paddling. We were forced to move parallel to the shoreline against the current and the wind, and it was all I could do to keep us from crashing into the rocks. My daughter’s paddle sat useless across her lap while I sweated it out alone, fighting to move us forward.

Joy often feels like that—hard paddling against relentless currents. It’s exhausting. It takes everything in you not to give up. But that’s exactly where God meets us, giving us strength to endure when ours runs out. Paul prayed it this way:

“May you be strengthened with all power… so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father.” Colossians 1:11–12 NIV

Joy is not about glossing over pain or pretending life is easy. It’s about clinging to God in the dark, feeding on His Word, and trusting that, in time, joy will come.

Drink Deep

What’s one way you can “eat” God’s Word today? Write down one verse, keep it in front of you, and let it feed your soul until it becomes joy in your heart.