Pursuing Joy in 2026

Beloved Kinney,

We talk a lot about fighting sin, overcoming temptation, guarding our hearts from evil,
etc. All of which are important parts of the Christian life. But I wonder if sometimes in
our emphasis on killing sin in our lives, we can forget what we must pursue instead.
Of course, we must pursue holiness by knowing Christ more deeply. But one virtuous
pursuit we often neglect is the pursuit of joy.

Yes, the Bible calls you to PURSUE joy. We don’t just wait for joy to come, hoping it
might. We must pursue it!
 Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord…”
 Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always…”
 Psalm 100:2, “Serve the Lord with gladness…”

Here are five practical ways you can pursue joy in 2026.
1) Confess your sins to God. Many times we are joyless because we’re letting sin
have a hold on us. But there is great joy in confession, especially when you know
the Lord forgives freely!
2) Humbly receive God’s forgiveness in Christ. Joylessness is often experienced
because we are unwilling to receive God’s forgiveness. Don’t be! Receive it! He
loves to give it!
3) Meditate on the person of Christ. Read over one of the Gospel accounts and
write down as many things as you can that tells you who Jesus is. What is he like?
What does he love? How does he act in various situations? Meditate on who Christ
is.
4) Meditate on the work of Christ. Read the book of Romans and write down all
the things you learn about what Jesus came to do for sinners like you.
5) Write out prayers of thanksgiving. Sometimes we don’t have joy because we
don’t express thanks to God. Praying only prayers of thanksgiving can really help!

Let us pursue joy in the Lord in 2026. Don’t be passive. Fight for it! God wants that for
us.

Love,
Pastor Josh