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Today, I want to talk about joy – what it actually is, how Scripture defines it, and how we can live with more intentionality, purpose, and joy as we move into 2026.
Because joy is one of those words we use all the time, but rarely stop to define.
We say things like, “I just want more joy.”
Or, “I don’t feel joyful right now.”
But biblically speaking, joy is not the same thing as happiness.
And it’s definitely not the same thing as a good mood or a good season.
Before we go any further, let me pause for a quick announcement – and then we’ll come right back to this.
Quick Announcement Break
Enrollment is now open for the Faith and Soul Care LifePoints Women’s Connection Cohhort.
This is an online group of women who walk together for 12 weeks, and the focus is deep, steady renewal – not hustle, not pressure, not fixing yourself.
Together, we work through how to overcome stress, overwhelm, anxiety, and negative thinking.
We begin the process of revealing or revisiting your sense of purpose, your passions, and the things that truly bring you joy.
We learn somatic practices to calm the nervous system and restore energy.
We learn mental health, CBT, and mindfulness strategies to help manage anxiety and ward off depression and negative thought patterns.
We learn how to set goals that actually bring meaning and intentionality to our lives.
And then – one of my favorite parts – we learn simple, evidence-based strategies that help flip the brain’s motivation centers, so your brain actually wants to move toward the goals you set.
I truly believe 2026 can be a year of renewal.
In fact, that’s my word for the year – Renewal.
To sign up, go to sherryelaine.com/lifepoints.
The link is in the show notes, on the blog, or near the video if you’re watching this on YouTube.
Okay – back to joy.
[You can always listen to these blogposts on the Faith & Soul Care podcast or at the pod player below:]
What Is Joy – Really?
In Scripture, joy is not presented as something fragile or circumstantial.
In the New Testament, the Greek word most often translated as joy is chara.
It comes from the same root as charis, meaning grace.
That matters.
Because it tells us that joy flows from grace – not from ease, comfort, or control.
Joy is not something we manufacture.
It’s something we receive, cultivate, and live from.
In the Old Testament, one of the Hebrew words for joy is simchah.
It carries the sense of gladness, delight, and inner celebration, often connected to God’s presence, faithfulness, and covenant love.
Joy, biblically speaking, is anchored.
It has roots.
It can coexist with grief, fatigue, and unanswered questions.
Kay Warren says it this way – and this is one of the most quoted lines from her book Choose Joy:
“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything will be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.”
That word settled is important.
Joy is not frantic.
Joy is not forced.
Joy is not denial.
Joy is a settled assurance.
Why Joy Feels Elusive for So Many Women
Here’s what I see so often, especially in midlife women:
We’ve spent years being responsible, faithful, productive, and strong.
We’ve taken care of everyone else.
We’ve survived hard seasons.
And somewhere along the way, joy became optional, or even suspicious.
We learned how to endure – but not how to delight.
Kay Warren also writes:
“We are going to experience joy in this lifetime – there’s only one possible way: we will have to choose it.”
Choosing joy does not mean ignoring pain.
It means choosing alignment – aligning our lives with what matters most, with God’s presence, with truth, and with life-giving rhythms.
Joy and Intentional Living
One of the reasons joy fades is because we stop living intentionally.
We react.
We manage.
We cope.
But joy tends to show up when we are living in alignment – when our values, actions, faith, and nervous system are not constantly at war with each other.
So here are a few gentle reflection questions you might sit with – maybe in prayer, maybe in journaling, maybe on a quiet walk.
Not to pressure yourself.
Just to listen.
Reflection Questions to Discover and Cultivate Joy
- When do I feel most like myself – calm, present, alive, or connected?
- What activities leave me feeling restored, not just distracted?
- When was the last time I lost track of time in a good way?
- What brings a quiet sense of meaning, not just momentary pleasure?
- How often do I create space for joy – or do I wait for it to happen accidentally?
And maybe most honestly:
- What has drained my joy over the past few years – and what might God be inviting me to release?
Joy often returns slowly, as trust is rebuilt, as our nervous system settles, and as we give ourselves permission to live with intention again.
A Final Thought for 2026
If 2026 is going to be a year of renewal, joy will not come from doing more.
It will come from living more aligned.
More honest.
More rooted.
More surrendered.
Joy is not a personality trait.
It is a spiritual posture.
And it grows when we learn how to care for our soul, our mind, our body, and our faith – together.
If you’re longing for that kind of renewal, I would love to walk with you inside the LifePoints Cohort.
And if not, let this be your invitation to begin asking again:
Lord, what brings life to my soul?
And how can I live there more often?