Choosing to cultivate joy through challenging circumstances requires us to look for God’s fingerprints along the way.
Experiencing joy, though, is a long-term process and it takes a lifetime to slowly move from stress mode to living into the peace God wants us to know through all the moments of life—a journey toward maturity as we begin to be aware of those thoughts and worries that would steal our joy.
The more we practice taking all of our troubled thoughts captive, the more easily we will recognize them before they take hold in our heart. Practice and discipline provide strength training for our mental muscles and heart responses. So walking in the reality of joy is a road we truly find only as we mature and become stronger. The more consistently we follow that path—believing in God's goodness and turning away from Satan's taunts—the more the habit to submit to the Lord and trust him becomes second nature.
We can make a commitment to take every situation, every feeling, every fear to God as it happens. We don't have to remain in a state of emotional separation from the Lord every time we get out of step. We simply have to practice walking each step with him and allow his presence to bring us the joy that comes from resting in the arms of our capable dance partner through each measure of life's song.
Read more about this in my book, Dancing With My Heavenly Father.