Finding Joy in God’s Word When Stress Overwhelms
Joy in stressful seasons is not found by ignoring pain or chasing temporary fixes. It is found in turning our eyes and hearts toward God’s unchanging Word.
Life can feel pretty stressful sometimes. Beyond the everyday challenges of work, parenting, marriage, and paying bills, we often face heavier burdens—illness in our own bodies or in the lives of those we love, broken relationships, or financial setbacks.
Add to this the unrest in our communities and troubling headlines from around the world, and it’s no surprise that many of us feel anxious and unsettled.
The psalmist dealt with stress, too
The psalmist who penned Psalm 119 knew exactly what stress felt like. He describes enemies who plotted against him, slandered his reputation, and persecuted him with lies. He said he was trapped and ensnared by the wicked, hard-pressed in a place of trouble and anguish.
The Hebrew word translated “trouble” means distress of any kind, while “anguish” implies being pressed into a narrow, suffocating place with no room to move. These words paint a vivid picture of being pursued and overwhelmed by stress—perhaps similar to how you feel right now.
But here’s the turning point: instead of giving in to despair, the psalmist declares these words:
“Trouble and anguish have come upon me, but your commandments give me delight” (Psalm 119:143 ESV).
Notice the progression. The psalmist doesn’t deny his pain. He doesn’t sugarcoat his circumstances. Instead, he acknowledges the reality of his suffering—and then he deliberately shifts his focus to the source of comfort and joy: God’s Word.
Other translations capture this well:
- “As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.” (NLT)
- “Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight.” (MSG)
The psalmist teaches us a vital truth: joy in stressful seasons is not found by ignoring our pain or chasing temporary fixes. It is found in turning our eyes and hearts toward God’s unchanging Word.
God’s Word revives and sustains
Psalm 19:7-8 echoes this same hope: “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.”
When we are weary, God’s Word revives us. When we are pressed down, His promises lift our hearts. When our circumstances leave us confused, His truth gives us wisdom.
Think about what Scripture tells us about God’s character:
- He is faithful and never abandons His children.
- He is wise and good, involved in every detail of our lives.
- He is strong and trustworthy, able to carry us when we cannot carry ourselves.
No wonder the psalmist found joy in God’s Word! It reminded him that no matter how severe the trouble pressing against him, God was still bigger, stronger, and utterly reliable.
Choosing joy in difficult times
Stress is real, and pretending it doesn’t exist won’t help us. But we don’t have to let it define us or destroy our hope. Instead, like the psalmist, we can say, “Trouble and anguish have come upon me, but your commandments give me delight.”
We have a choice: Will we let the weight of our circumstances crush us, or will we turn to God’s promises to lift us?
By filling our minds with Scripture, we shift our perspective. We remember that trials are temporary, but God’s Word endures forever. We recall that our strength comes not from ourselves, but from the Lord who upholds us.
Three verses of joy to meditate on
When stress feels overwhelming, here are three joy-filled verses you can hold close to your heart:
- Romans 15:13 (NLT): “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
— God fills us with joy when we trust in Him. - Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV): “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
— God’s joy becomes a source of strength when our own energy is gone. - Psalm 16:11 (NIV): “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
— Lasting joy flows from being in God’s presence, even amid hardship.
A final encouragement
Friend, you may feel today as though stress has hemmed you in on every side. But take courage: the same God who comforted the psalmist offers His Word to you. His promises are steady, His presence unshakable, and His joy unending.
Yes, trouble and anguish may pursue us, but they will never have the final word. God’s Word does. And in His Word, we find not only strength for today, but also reasons for joy that carries us through the stresses we face.
Check out this article for everyday, practical tips for overcoming stress
May I pray for you?
“Holy God, we praise You for being unchangeable. You are the same as You were when the psalmist wrote the words we’ve studied today. Your truths remain the same. Your promises have not changed. Teach us, as You did the psalmist, to turn to Your Word for encouragement. Revive us there, and restore our joy. We pray these things in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Know you are loved,
Grace
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Thank you so much for your encouragement. You have been a true blessing to me. Love Erica Nichole.
Big, big hugs coming your way, my friend!
Know you are loved,
Grace
Romans 8:28 is my verse this month, and I’ve received such inner peace from my personalized vetsion:
I know
that in all things
God works
for my good because I love Him,
I have been called according
to His purpose.
To practically help me have joy, I’m limiting my social media scrolling and news reading, and spending time with friends who won’t suck me into negative debates. It also helps that Mexico’s independence celebrations are fun and lively at the moment!
Hi Becky:
I love that you’ve personalized the verse. I enjoy doing that with Scriptures as well. And then I speak them aloud — so life-giving.
Good for you, for limiting social media scrolling. There’s so much vitriolic speech there, and spending too much time there can quickly lead us down a negative path. I haven’t been present much lately because I was focused on completing my latest book, but when I am there, I just want to be a light and spread encouragement and hope.
Enjoy those celebrations, and know you are loved,
Grace
Such timely words, Grace. Thank you for redirecting our focus to the only Source of peace and joy when we are rightfully distressed. I especially like how you reminded us that we need to acknowledge our pain, whether it be for ourselves or others, but we don’t need to get stuck there. Blessings on all of us as we navigate these challenging times.
Cathy Joyce
Hi there! Thanks for sharing your thoughts here. It seems like the whole world is on fire, and it’s more and more important for us to hang onto the truth. Jesus said we would have trouble in this world, but He has overcome it. Therein lies our hope when everything seems to be falling apart. Hold onto His promises, my friend. Hold onto hope.
Know you are loved,
Grace
Charlie Kirk was quoted as saying “when stress enters, put down your phone and read scripture”. Ty Grace, for addressing exactly how much of us feel about last week’s tragedy.
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Somedays I feel that my heart can’t take more heaviness. Last week was day after day of feeling that way. “How long, Jesus? How much more craziness and evil can this world take before You return?” Everything changes when I soak in the Word. Hope returns. Joy seeps back into the shadows. I agree — put the phone down and pick up God’s Word.
Know you are loved,
Grace