JOY IN THE MIDDLE
Yolanda Lindsay
Today’s Scripture:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
James 1:2, NLT
Theme:
Closeness to God allows us to find joy in trials.
WHEN JOY DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
If I’m honest, James 1:2 has always been one of those verses that made me pause. “Consider it an opportunity for great joy.” Really?
This year, I spent three months in the hospital waiting for a double lung transplant. There were days filled with fear, setbacks, and unanswered questions. Then, after finally receiving my miracle, new lungs, and making it home, I ended up right back in the hospital because of complications. Joy wasn’t exactly my first emotion.
If you’ve ever walked through a difficult season, you know what I mean. Trials have a way of stealing our focus and convincing us that joy has packed its bags and left.
JOY IS FOUND IN GOD’S PRESENCE
One of the beautiful lessons in The Unbreakable Boy is that joy isn’t found in perfect circumstances. Sometimes it is found in the way we choose to see them.
Based on a true story, The Unbreakable Boy follows Austin, a young boy with autism and a rare brittle bone disease, and the journey of a family learning that joy is not dependent on an easy life. Through heartbreak, uncertainty, and unexpected blessings, they discover that hope can flourish even in the hardest seasons.
One scene that powerfully captures this truth comes after Austin suffers yet another broken bone. For his parents, especially his father, every fracture is a painful reminder that his son faces challenges most children never will. Fear, frustration, and exhaustion threaten to overshadow their lives. Yet Austin refuses to let his circumstances define him. Instead of dwelling on what he can’t do, he continues to marvel at the world around him, finds reasons to smile, and reminds everyone around him that every day is a gift. His joy isn’t rooted in an easy life; it is rooted in the way he chooses to see life.
What a beautiful picture of the Christian life.
The Apostle James isn’t telling us to pretend our pain doesn’t exist. He isn’t asking us to celebrate suffering. Instead, he reminds us that when we stay close to God, our trials become places where He grows our faith, shapes our character, and reminds us that He has never left our sides. Looking back, I can honestly say that while I never wanted those hospital rooms, I experienced God’s presence there in ways I never had before. I saw Him through nurses who lovingly cared for me, through friends who faithfully prayed, and through quiet moments when His peace filled a room that should have been filled with fear.
During those three months, God didn’t just meet me through His Word—He met me through His people. Some of my nurses became more than caregivers; they became family. One nurse decided we should learn to crochet together, so on her day off she went to Target and bought us matching beginner crochet kits. Another came back to the hospital after working a twelve-hour shift just to give me a manicure and pedicure because she knew how much I missed feeling like myself. More than one nurse quietly slipped off the unit to pick up my DoorDash orders because after three months of hospital food, they knew I needed something that tasted like home. None of those acts changed my diagnosis, but every one of them changed my experience. They made an unbearable season bearable.
That’s one of the beautiful messages woven throughout The Unbreakable Boy. The people who love us don’t always remove our struggles, but they remind us we don’t have to face them alone. Looking back, I can see that every small act of kindness was another reminder that God was still caring for me. Sometimes His greatest miracles aren’t found in changed circumstances—they’re found in the people He places beside us while we walk through them. My circumstances didn’t create joy. God’s presence did.
AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT AN OBSTACLE
James calls our trials “an opportunity.” That word changes everything. An opportunity to trust more deeply. An opportunity to experience God’s faithfulness. An opportunity to discover that our greatest strength has never been found in ourselves, but in the One who walks beside us. Sometimes God doesn’t remove the trial immediately because He is doing something even greater within us while we walk through it. The closer we stay to Him, the more we realize that joy isn’t the absence of hardship—it is the confidence that God is still writing our stories.
Make It Personal: What trial are you facing today? Instead of asking God to help you escape it, first ask Him to help you see Him in it. As you draw closer to Him, you’ll begin to discover a joy that isn’t dependent on your circumstances but anchored in His unchanging presence. This week, choose to look for evidence of God’s faithfulness in the middle of your struggle. You may find that His presence is the very source of the joy you’ve been searching for.
Pray: Father, thank You for being near when life feels heavy. When my circumstances tempt me to lose hope, remind me that true joy is found in Your presence. Draw me closer to You through every trial and help me trust that You are using every difficult season to grow my faith and reveal Your goodness. Thank You for never leaving my side. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Psalm 16:11, Romans 5:3–5, John 16:33
Weekly Memory Verse: “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT