How to Find Joy in Jesus

by Nicolet Bell

The forecast was less than promising.

The outdoor ceremony was scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m., the same time the weathermen were calling for severe weather and potential tornadoes. As the wedding drew closer, the forecast became increasingly dire.

Severe storms likely to produce tornadoes were to begin at 5 p.m. “It’s fine!” my future sister-in-law said as her plans for a gorgeous ceremony under the most beautiful live oak trees evaporated.

SATURDAY, 1 P.M.

I glanced up at the sky to see the sun peeking around white, fluffy clouds with blue skies scattered between them. We couldn’t believe it! It was a beautiful day. But would it last? The forecast still looked grim. “At least we are getting to take beautiful pictures outside,” I commented.

SATURDAY, 4 P.M.

As the sun peeked through the clouds, the weather seemed to be holding off. Guests were beginning to arrive for the ceremony as we all huddled out of sight in the cottage.

“I think we’re going to make it!” the wedding planner said. And with that, we all relaxed. After a whole day of waiting and holding our breath, we were almost at the finish line.

The violin began to play, and as I held the hand of my daughter—the cutest flower girl you’ve ever seen!—and the arm of my husband—the most handsome man I’ve ever seen!—we made our way down the aisle without a drop of rain. As I stood in my spot up front and watched our beautiful bride make her way to my baby brother, I thought, “You just never know about the weather!”

SATURDAY, 7 P.M.

The bottom fell out of the sky. It rained buckets and buckets as the wind ripped through the beautiful, strong oak trees. Fortunately, we were all safe and dry inside the reception venue. The lightning popped, and thunder shook the building, but you could barely hear it above the band’s trumpets. There were no power outages, no tornadoes, just a beautiful evening celebrating the newlyweds.

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF TROUBLE

The weather predictions change by the hour in South Mississippi, where I live. Just like the weather predictions were off for the wedding ceremony, on any given day, if you look at your weather app when you roll out of bed in the morning, the forecast is almost sure to change by your midmorning snack. It may be forty degrees in the morning, eighty degrees in the afternoon, and back down to thirty degrees in the evenings. The weather in Mississippi reminds me of one of my favorite passages where Jesus says to His disciples:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NKJV)

Other translations exchange the word “tribulation” for “trouble” and that helps us to understand what Jesus is talking about (NIV). He doesn’t say, “It’s cloudy with a chance of trouble,” or “There’s a slight chance of trouble in the forecast.” Did you catch it? Jesus says that we WILL have trouble. Unlike the weather reports in South Mississippi that change by the hour, this prediction is unfortunately assured. It’s a promise. We like to think of the promises of God as only good things. It’s hard for us to look at this and think “Yes! Trouble is a promise of God.”

Fortunately for us, there are multiple promises in this verse. Yes, Jesus promises that we will face trouble in this world. That is our reality this side of heaven. Since the fall of creation, things have not been as God intended. But at the same time, in the same breath, the same sentence, He is also promising that He is with us, that we can have peace and joy in Him, and that He ultimately has overcome the world.

We like peace and joy, and we want to avoid trouble. Like the forecast on my brother’s wedding day, John 16:33 feels less than promising. It’s actually very promising, but do we like the warning/promise combo it makes?

Sure, peace and joy in any circumstance sounds nice, but do we see this truth in our lives when the storm clouds well up and the rain starts to pour down? If I’m honest, I am usually still surprised when trouble shows up in my life. I know Jesus tells me it’s coming, but I am still taken back, left in surprise or shock when life throws me something I don’t expect. Often, amid hurt, the last emotion I feel is cheerfulness or joy. You, on the other hand, may find yourself in the opposite place. Maybe your life has been full of disappointment and hardships with no end in sight. Maybe you have been stuck in a pattern of sadness for so long that you would be shocked or surprised if something good came your way. That’s the beautiful thing about the words of Jesus. They meet us wherever we find ourselves. If we are sad or happy, angry or excited, Jesus commands us, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Whether it’s a diagnosis, a marriage, a test grade, or a parent-child relationship, we’ve all been in a place where we are hoping for the best outcome despite the prediction. When the diagnosis is hopeless, we’ve prayed for hope. When the relationship seems over, we keep trying. Though Jesus promises that we will face trouble on earth, He also promises that we will experience the fullness of His joy.

When our joy is dependent on our circumstances, it can be fleeting—here one minute and gone the next. When our joy is rooted in the person and presence of Jesus, it doesn’t waver when the wind starts to blow, but it is secure and steadfast in the midst of any storm. Today, ask yourself, where are you looking for joy?

Nicolet Bell is a wife, mom, and podcaster who is passionate about sharing the joy of Jesus with women.