A Prayer to Take Back Joy When You Can't Feel It
By Amanda Idleman
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” - Psalm 30:5
Do you feel stuck in a ‘night season’? There are many hard things that are thrown at us in this life that can bury us under a feeling of hopelessness. These are the moments when our faith matters most. When we truly need Him to pull us out of the shadow of death and show us his joy even while we still lament. We don't have to deny our real feelings of sadness, grief, and fear in order to also know God’s joy. There is space for more than one feeling in every season.
Joy that denies real lived experiences is a fraud. God has space in his protective hands for our pain and still graciously points us to his beauty through it all. True joy surprises us, and it’s often hidden in the details of our circumstances.
- Joy may be a well-timed joke while stuck in a hospital bed.
- The flowers a friend delivers while you walk through a miscarriage.
- The grace to be heard when battling anxiety and depression.
- An unexpected hug from a kiddo when the job of being a parent feels like it’s sucking the life out of you.
- It’s the chance to see family from far away while grieving together at a funeral.
- It’s the right song or message at church when you are feeling utterly hopeless in your marriage.
- A friend that shows up with lunch after your dog passes away.
- Piles of baby supplies that show up overnight when you say yes to that foster placement, completely unprepared for what is to come.
Joy sneaks into those hard, stretching, and the wish-they-weren’t-so moments of life. Joy is a reprieve from the heaviness that loss, sickness, stress, and brokenness bring into our lives. Joy offers us a bit of fresh air that you desperately need. Most times joy doesn’t make sense and is not dependent on any certain set of circumstances. Joy is a “God-sighting” in our everyday chaos. Without joy, even the best circumstances can feel empty, and with joy, we know that even in the worst cases, God is with us.
If you need joy, God promises that it is available to you. Find hope in the truth that nights don’t last forever. One day, the night will be no more, but for now, the sunrise will come. The light and fresh air offer hope and beauty that our souls need. Take heart; the morning is coming soon, my friend.
Let’s pray:
God, we thank you for your promise to bring us through our night season and offer us joy on the other side! We need your joy to infuse purpose in the struggles we face. We need joy to invigorate our souls and bring light into the lives you have given us. Open our eyes to the ways you are showing up to meet us in the midst of all the chaos. Open up the chance for us to be joy bringers to others in our lives, showing them grace in their night season, too. If you are willing, God lift from us the darkness we are facing. Bring healing to our minds, bodies, and souls. Provide the faith we need to know that you are good and with us even when we don’t feel you near. Bring back our joy with a double portion! Let us give you all the glory for everything you have done for us in each and every season of our lives. Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/torwai
Related Resource: How to Choose Your One Word for 2026
This month on the How to Study the Bible Podcast, we’re starting a new series called One Word 2026, and it’s meant to be a gentle but intentional way to reflect, respond, and reconnect with God as we begin the year. In this episode, I’m walking you through why I love taking the whole month of January to pause and listen — rather than rushing into resolutions or putting pressure on yourself to “get it all together” by January 1. We’re going to start with Philippians 1:3–11, where Paul reminds us that we can have real confidence because God is still working in us, and He’s not finished.
Then I’m going to share six words I’ve been praying over for our community — six spiritual intentions that I believe reflect the kind of growth God may be inviting us into this year. You don’t have to choose one right away, and you definitely don’t have to force it — but I hope that one of these words will resonate in your spirit and give you a steady anchor for 2026.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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