Fighting for Joy
I have a confession to make: from time to time, I go to war with depression.
That may surprise some of you. There’s an assumption that pastors don’t battle—or shouldn’t battle—such things. But I do. At times, a heaviness settles over my soul. It can leave me emotionally numb, fatigued, withdrawn, and frankly, not very pleasant to be around.
For me, joy doesn’t come naturally. I carry enough melancholy that I have to fight for it.
I share this not for sympathy, but for encouragement. Some of you are fighting the same battle. You feel numb, overwhelmed, and disconnected—and you’re not even sure how you got there. Joy feels like something other people experience, but it's not for you.
I want to challenge that assumption. God promises joy—not as a personality trait, but as something we can pursue in Him. But how?
The Downward Steps
Depression rarely arrives all at once. It usually begins as a slow descent. Think of it like a downward staircase.
The first step is disappointment. Unmet hopes. Unanswered prayers. Interrupted plans. Failed relationships. Solomon says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). Disappointment is inevitable in a broken world. But unprocessed disappointment is dangerous. When we don’t bring our dashed hopes to the Lord to recalibrate our expectations, we step downward.
Next comes discouragement. Discouragement is the weakening of courage. The soul grows heavy. Prayers feel labored. Like Israel standing before the giants in the land, our hearts melt within us (Deut. 1; Num. 13) at the challenges and disappointments of life. When we stop remembering what the Lord has done (Psalm 77), courage drains—and we descend further.
Then comes doubt. We still believe God is good… just not to us. Like Asaph in Psalm 73, we struggle to reconcile God’s promises with our experience. Our prayers shrink. Cynicism creeps in. Circumstances grow bigger than God. Like Peter, we take our eyes off Jesus and fix them on the storm—and we begin to sink. We stop running to God because we’ve lost our trust in Him. Unless we cry out, “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9), the descent continues.
Eventually, depression settles in. This is when the heaviness settles in our souls. David names it plainly: “My soul is cast down within me” (Psalm 42). Color drains from life. Energy fades. Hope feels pointless. Like Elijah under the broom tree (1 Kings 19), we may even wish we were done.
Notice this: God does not tell Elijah to snap out of it. Instead, he feeds him. He lets him rest. He speaks gently. Depression affects the whole person—and healing often requires care, patience, and the presence of others. This is not something you simply will yourself out of.
The Upward Steps
But just as there are steps downward, there are also steps upward—toward hope and joy.
The first step is dependence. This is the most important step. Admitting weakness. Naming need. Surrendering unmet expectations, unfulfilled desires, and unanswered prayers to the Lord. When we empty ourselves of what we demand and truly lament what has been lost, we become ready to receive what God promises to give—Himself.
Next comes direction. Reorienting the soul toward God. David speaks to himself in Psalm 42: “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Hope in God.” Hope is rekindled when we ponder the works of the Lord and remember—God is able and willing (Psalm 77). Joy grows on the vine of hope. When the soul is guided back toward the Lord, joy begins to flourish.
Then comes discipline. Making space to remain near God through Scripture, prayer, worship, and community. Paul says, “Train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7). These practices till the soil of the heart, planting seeds that—over time—grow into Spirit-born joy. Anna’s long faithfulness in Luke 2 eventually erupted in joy when she saw the Messiah.
Finally, we arrive at hope. Not optimism about our expectations, but renewed confidence in who God is and what He has promised. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). Hope doesn’t deny pain—it overpowers and outlasts it.
What Joy Really Is
Joy is not denial.
It’s not constant happiness.
It’s not pretending things are okay.
Joy is supernatural delight in the person, presence, purposes, people and promises of God—even in sorrow.
And make no mistake: joy is a battle.
Your enemy wants to steal it.
So fight.
Fight for joy.