JOY YOU CAN SEE
Yolanda Lindsay
Today's Scripture: “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3, ESV
Theme: When we introduce our friends to Jesus and learn to follow Him, we are filled with gratitude and joy because we can see the great things He has done.
GOD SHOWS UP THROUGH PEOPLE
As I sit in a hospital room writing this devotional, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on the people God has placed in my life. I came to the hospital waiting for a double lung transplant, and God blessed me with one. After a total of three months in the hospital, the doctors finally felt safe sending me home. Those nine days at home were beautiful. Being with family, sleeping in my own bed, and experiencing pieces of normal life again felt like such a gift.
But little by little, the nausea became worse until I eventually had to come back to the hospital. As I write this, I have now been back for three days. If I am honest, it would be very easy to focus only on the disappointment because the last thing I wanted was to end up back here. Yet even in this unexpected turn, God continues to remind me that I am not alone. He has used people—friends, family, nurses, doctors, and even strangers who are praying for me—to point me back to Him over and over again.
THE GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE
Psalm 126:3 (ESV) says, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.” I think sometimes we expect gratitude and joy to come only when life is going exactly the way we hope. But following Jesus teaches us to look deeper than our circumstances.
When I stop and reflect, I can still clearly see the goodness of God. I see it in the prayers that carried me through the hardest days. I see it in the people who encouraged me when fear tried to take over. I see it in the miracle of receiving new lungs after waiting and praying for so long. And I see it now, knowing that even this setback did not surprise God.
Sometimes the “great things” God does are not loud or flashy. Sometimes they are found in peace during disappointment, strength for one more day, or hope that refuses to disappear even when life takes an unexpected turn.
SHARING WHAT WE HAVE SEEN
One of the beautiful things about following Jesus is that our stories can help point others toward Him. Not because our lives are perfect, but because His faithfulness is real. People are not looking for someone who has it all together; they are looking for hope that lasts even when life falls apart.
You never know who may need to hear that God is still good in the middle of hard seasons. Sometimes simply sharing what God has carried you through can encourage someone else to trust Him, too. Gratitude grows when we stop long enough to recognize that even in difficult moments, we can still say, “The Lord has done great things for us.”
Make It Personal: Have you ever found yourself disappointed because life did not go the way you hoped? It can be easy to focus on what feels lost or broken, but where can you still see God’s goodness today? Ask God to help you recognize the people, moments, and blessings that remind you He is still working, even in difficult seasons.
Pray: Lord, thank You for remaining faithful even when life feels uncertain or disappointing. Help me to see Your goodness in every season and remind me that setbacks do not change who You are. Use my story to encourage others and point them toward You. Fill my heart with gratitude and joy as I continue learning to trust and follow You each day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9; Psalm 40:1-3
Weekly Memory Verse: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39, ESV