[Devotional #16] Joy Isn’t Always Found in Ease, It’s Found in Trust
Arts and crafts stress me out. Maybe it’s the ADHD, but something about mess just really makes the entire experience not enjoyable. Since starting preschool homeschooling with Maximus, he’s requested an “activity” every single day. Finnegan, even at just two, loves trying to perfect his little paintings.
I never fussed about doing projects or complained about not wanting to, I just did it. I set it up, cleaned up, and tried my best to have fun. Watching the two of them bond over crafts remembering all the times professionals told me Maximus would never be capable… I have so much joy and has made the entire experience so much more meaningful, even though it’s still not my favorite thing.
And that got me thinking… how often has God asked me to do something that didn’t come naturally? Something uncomfortable; that stretched me in ways I didn’t expect, yet brought more beauty than I could’ve ever imagined.
Sometimes, joy isn’t found in what we enjoy doing… it’s found in obedience.
Stay Mighty,
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Devotional of the Week
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.
James 1:2-3
This verse reminds us that joy isn’t the absence of struggle, it’s the presence of trust. Sometimes, the “trials of many kinds” look like things we never expected to be difficult. But even those can be holy ground.
God doesn’t just call us to endure hard things, He calls us to discover His presence within them. Each messy, imperfect moment is a place where perseverance is formed, and that perseverance is shaping us into people who can stand firm, even when life doesn’t go as planned.
Reflection:
The uncomfortable moments of motherhood, the ones that push you past your limits and test every ounce of patience, are often where God is doing His most transformative work. It’s in the exhaustion, the advocacy, the waiting, and the surrender that faith grows roots. Even when joy feels out of reach, God is gently teaching us that His presence is steady, even here.
Journal Prompt
Think of a moment this week that stretched your patience or made you question your strength. How might God be using that specific challenge to shape your perseverance and deepen your trust in Him?
A Closing Prayer
Thank You for walking with me through the parts of motherhood that don’t come easily. When the routines feel heavy, the meltdowns stretch my patience, and the uncertainty wears me down, remind me that You are still near.
Teach me to see beauty in the messy and purpose in the uncomfortable. Help me find joy not because life feels easy, but because I trust You in the middle of it. Let perseverance grow in me, not from striving, but from surrender.
Strengthen my heart, Lord, for the calling You’ve placed on my life as this child’s mother. Let Your peace fill the spaces where I feel weak, and Your joy rise even in the moments that don’t make sense.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
