Shine Anyway: Joy Despite Challenges
Let’s be honest. Life isn’t always easy, and smiling doesn’t always come naturally. Whether it’s unexpected bills, difficult relationships, illness, or the weight of anxiety, challenges have a way of draining us. That doesn’t mean we’re supposed to fake happiness. No, we’re actually invited to embrace joy despite challenges.
This doesn’t come from a place of denial, but from a deep-rooted trust in the One who holds it all together. As followers of Jesus, we are called to a different posture. We’re supposed to S.M.I.L.E.—Shine My Inner Light Everywhere—anyway.
When Joy Isn’t Easy
There’s a common misconception that if you’re walking with God, everything should feel good. But Scripture tells a different story. Paul wrote much of the New Testament from prison. David penned psalms from caves and wildernesses. Jesus Himself was called a “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.”
The difference? They didn’t let sorrow snuff out their light. Even though life wasn’t easy, and challenges plagued them at seemingly every turn, they chose joy because they knew the Source of joy.
James 1:2–4 reminds us:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Joy isn’t ignoring the hard stuff. It’s walking through it with your eyes fixed on the One who goes before you.
The Day I Didn’t Want to Smile
I remember a morning when everything felt wrong. I woke up exhausted, overwhelmed by deadlines, and discouraged by a situation I couldn’t fix. My instinct was to withdraw, to retreat into survival mode.
But as I drove my kids to school, one of them started singing an old VBS song from the backseat: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”
I smiled, even though I didn’t feel like it. That simple song became a holy interruption. It reminded me that even when I don’t feel joyful, I can still choose joy.
Not perform it. Not pretend it. Just practice it.
What Joy Despite Challenges Really Looks Like
Joy in hardship doesn’t mean wearing a fake smile. It means choosing to:
- Be grateful anyway. Start small. Focus on one thing going well. Then another. And another.
- Look for beauty. A leaf changing colors. A kind text. A sunset.
- Serve someone else. Helping others pulls us out of our own spiral. Place the needs of others higher than your own.
- Speak life. What you say shapes what you see and what happens to you.
- Anchor in truth. Remind yourself what is still true, even when everything else changes. Dig deep in God’s Word.
Psalm 30:5 says:
“Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Sometimes the “morning” doesn’t come right away. But it will come. In the waiting, you can still shine. You can still smile. As you wait, you can still be a light.
When Joy Becomes Your Testimony
One of the most powerful testimonies a believer can have is joy in the middle of pain. It confuses the world. It intrigues your coworkers. It softens hardened hearts.
Think of Paul and Silas in prison, singing at midnight. Their worship didn’t just encourage themselves—it shook the foundations, literally. Their joy led to breakthrough and even salvation for the jailer and his family (Acts 16:25–34).
Joy can be contagious. When you smile through hardship, you’re not minimizing the struggle in any way. You’re merely surrendering it to Christ and reflecting His resilience. And this gives you the strength to push through the hardship.
Practical Tools to Carry Joy with You
Here are a few resources and habits that can help you keep joy close, even in tough seasons:
- Gratitude Journal – Start or end your day writing three things you’re thankful for.
- Joy Scriptures Deck – Keep key Bible verses nearby to speak over your day.
- Kindness Cards – Share encouragement with someone who needs it.
- Quiet Time Routine – Make space each day to connect with God, even if it’s just 10 minutes.
Choose to Shine Anyway
You don’t have to wait for life to get easier to live with joy.
In fact, some of the most beautiful expressions of faith are the smiles that break through sorrow, the praise that rises from pain, and the light that shines in the dark.
Let your smile be more than a reaction. Instead, let it be a declaration:
“I trust the One who holds my life, even in this.”
So today, whatever you’re facing, shine anyway. Because the world doesn’t need perfect people. It needs people whose joy is rooted in Jesus.
Here’s a 30-day family challenge to spread joy throughout the month. Source: Parents Together
