From the Archives: Pursuing Joy in 2026

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be made known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 4:4-7

From the January 5, 2026 Word From the Pastor:

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. He 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