What to Do When Joy Feels Impossible
Scroll to read a recap of Pastor Lee Cummings’ sermon from December 14, 2025!
In a season that celebrates joy, it can sometimes feel surprisingly hard to find joy within our own lives. In the book of Nehemiah, Pastor Lee Cummings reminds us that joy is still possible, even when it feels like everything has gone wrong.
After decades of captivity, the Jewish exiles finally returned to Jerusalem, only to find their city in ruins. The walls were broken down, the city was in ruin, and their enemies mocked every attempt to rebuild. For years, they lived surrounded by constant reminders of their loss.
Under Nehemiah’s leadership, however, something remarkable happened. In just 52 days, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem—something that had felt impossible for decades.
You would expect a celebration. But instead, when the people gathered to hear God’s Word read aloud, they wept and grieved. Nehemiah spoke words that have echoed through history:
“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
This verse offers a prescription for joy—one that isn’t dependent on circumstances, but rooted in God’s Presence.
First: Go Your Way
This is a call to leave fear and pain behind and move in a different direction.
We can become prisoners in the promised land, paralyzed by bitterness and unanswered questions. We replay the unfairness, demand explanations from God, and build walls around our hearts with the broken stones of our past.
Going a different way means making a conscious decision: I will not let my pain become my prison. I will not walk the path of bitterness. Even when I don’t understand, I will move toward God instead of away from Him.
Second: Eat the Fat
In ancient Israel, the fat of the sacrifice was the most valuable portion—it was set apart for God. When Nehemiah says, “eat the fat,” he’s inviting the people to remember the goodness of God.
In dark moments, we must intentionally recall God’s faithfulness. The time He made a way when there was no way. The healing that couldn’t be explained. The relationship that changed everything. The door that opened when all others were closed.
Remembrance becomes an altar we return to again and again, reminding ourselves: there’s no explanation for this except God.
Third: Drink Sweet Wine
Throughout Scripture, wine represents joy and gladness. When Nehemiah says, “drink sweet wine,” the message is both profound and practical: you have to find a way to laugh again.
Sometimes, the most spiritually defiant thing you can do is laugh when the enemy is trying to steal your joy. Find the people who make you laugh. Watch something that makes you smile. Be silly. Be lighthearted—even if it feels forced at first.
Choosing joy is looking the enemy in the eye and saying, “Not today. The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
Fourth: Send Portions to Others
The final instruction may be the most important: help someone else find joy.
What you make happen for others, God makes happen for you. For many, Christmas is one of the loneliest and most painful seasons of the year. A simple text, a phone call, an invitation, or a visit can remind someone that they are seen.
When we bear one another’s burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ. We reflect what Jesus did for us—stepping into our brokenness, from the manger to the cross, and carrying what we never could on our own.
Joy isn’t circumstantial. It’s not something we wait for when life gets easier. Joy is a state of being and a part of who God is. Because He lives in us, joy is available right now, regardless of our circumstances.
Tap to watch Pastor Lee Cummings’ full sermon on Youtube.
Here's a 5-day devotional guide based on this sermon:
Day 1: Choosing to Go a Different Way
Reading: Nehemiah 8:9–12
Devotional: The Jewish people stood surrounded by the rubble of their past—broken stones, shattered walls, and painful memories. When Nehemiah told them to “go your way,” his words were not dismissive—they were liberating. He was inviting them to make a decisive choice: to step out of the prison of pain and move toward joy. You may find yourself standing in your own rubble today—broken relationships, deferred dreams, or unexplainable loss. Joy isn’t found by waiting for circumstances to change. It’s found by choosing to move toward God in the middle of them. What pain or fear do you need to leave behind today in order to walk toward joy?
Day 2: Remembering the Goodness of God
Reading: Psalm 103:1–5
Devotional: “Eat the fat,” Nehemiah declared—enjoy the best parts and remember God’s goodness. In ancient Israel, the fat was the choicest portion of the sacrifice, set apart for God. When darkness threatens to overwhelm us, we must intentionally remember the “fat”—those unmistakable moments when God showed up. These are the moments with no explanation except God: the healing, the provision, the open door, the relationship that changed everything. Create your own altar of remembrance. What four or five “stones” can you stack—specific moments when God proved faithful?
Day 3: Finding Your Laughter Again
Reading: Proverbs 17:22; Psalm 126:1–3
Devotional: “Drink sweet wine,” Nehemiah instructed. Throughout Scripture, wine represents joy and gladness—the kind that transforms us from the inside out. The Bible tells us that laughter “does good like a medicine.” In seasons of spiritual warfare, sometimes the most defiant act is choosing to laugh. When the enemy has thrown everything at you to steal your joy, finding humor, spending time with people who make you laugh, or allowing yourself moments of levity is not frivolous—it’s powerful. Who in your life brings you laughter? When was the last time you laughed until your sides hurt? Don’t underestimate the spiritual power of laughter. Find it again. Fight for it.
Day 4: Bearing Burdens Together
Reading: Galatians 6:1–5; John 1:14–18
Devotional: Nehemiah concludes with a final instruction: “Send portions to others.” The pathway to joy includes helping others find theirs. Christmas reveals this truth beautifully. Jesus saw humanity crushed under the weight of sin, shame, and separation from God. He didn’t send instructions from a distance—He came near. He took on flesh and bore our burden all the way to the cross. Someone around you is carrying a load too heavy to bear alone. They may feel lonely, overwhelmed, grieving, or unseen. A simple act—a text, a phone call, an invitation, a visit—could be the very thing that helps them breathe again. Who needs to know they are seen, known, and cared for this Christmas season?
Day 5: The Strength of His Joy
Reading: Romans 14:17–19; Philippians 4:4–7
Devotional: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” These words echo through history and reach us still today. The kingdom of God is not built on perfect circumstances or external celebration—it is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Joy is not happiness dependent on what’s happening around us. Joy is the settled confidence that God is good, God is present, and God is faithful. Joy is the residue of relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace. When you draw near to Him, you draw near to the source of joy itself. How will you actively choose joy today, and what does it look like to let His joy be your strength?
There’s an opportunity for you to grow in your spiritual journey, build meaningful community, and truly get connected. At Radiant Church, we’re passionate about helping people grow in faith, encounter the Presence of God, and be part of a church grounded in Spirit and truth.