Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

It is possible to serve the Lord faithfully and yet slowly lose the joy of serving Him. We may continue attending church, preaching, teaching, praying, and fulfilling our responsibilities, but something inside us begins to feel tired. What was once a joyful privilege can gradually feel like a heavy obligation.

Sometimes busyness steals our joy. At other times, it may be boredom, stress, unanswered prayer, or a long season of waiting. We may even experience moments of deep sadness or depression. Surprisingly, worldly happiness can also draw our hearts away from God. When life is comfortable, we can become satisfied with His blessings while losing our hunger for His presence.

During such seasons, our flesh naturally searches for relief. We may turn on the television, scroll through the internet, eat our favorite food, watch sports, listen to music, or spend time with friends. Some people sadly turn to more destructive pleasures, including alcohol or pornography. Many of these things may offer a moment of escape, and not every form of entertainment is sinful, but the danger begins when we expect worldly pleasures to give us what only God can provide.

Imagine a man returning home after an exhausting day. He has faced pressure at work, received troubling news, and is worried about his family. He knows that he should pray, but prayer feels difficult. Opening the Bible requires concentration. So, he sits on the couch and begins watching short videos on his phone. One video becomes ten. Ten minutes become two hours.

For those two hours, he forgets his problems. He laughs and feels relaxed. But when he finally puts the phone down, nothing has truly changed. His fears are still there. His heart is still heavy, and now he also feels disappointed that another evening has disappeared. The entertainment was not necessarily evil — it simply could not heal him. The world can distract us from our pain, but it cannot give us peace in the midst of it. Only the presence of God can do that.

David declared, “You will fill me with joy in your presence” (Psalm 16:11). True joy is not found in escaping our circumstances. It is found in discovering that God is with us within our circumstances. His joy does not always remove or shorten the trial, but it strengthens us to walk through it and keeps our hearts alive while we wait. This joy is deeper than excitement. It is the quiet assurance that we are loved, forgiven, and held by God. It is the peace that comes when His Word becomes more real to us than the troubling voices around us.

Because of our fallen nature, our default response is usually to run towards the world for relief. But, through prayer and intentional practice, we can develop a new default response. When stress comes, we can enter God’s presence. When boredom comes, we can open His Word. When disappointment comes, we can worship. When temptation comes, we can run to the One who truly satisfies.

Pray to the Lord and ask Him to make His presence more desirable than every temporary pleasure. In busyness, stress, or sorrow, your heart will learn where its true home is. The joy of the Lord is not merely a pleasant feeling. It is your strength, your freedom, your peace; and it is found in Him alone.

By Santosh Chandran, Bible League International staff, New Zealand