Then he said to them, “Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your refuge.”

One of the healing moments in a tough time is when we can laugh again. After much solemness and many tears, life becomes so serious. We struggle to enjoy life or even smile in the hard moments of life because grief is all consuming. It changes our mood, our outlook on life, our hopes for the future. Early in the book of Nehemiah, the people had a many reasons to grieve: They had lost their way with God; their city was destroyed; and they were vulnerable to future attacks. When Nehemiah charged the people to celebrate, it wasn’t because things were going well. The cause of celebration was God’s goodness. The people could eat, share, and have joy because of what God had done despite their hardship.

We can’t do much to make ourselves laugh in a difficult time. We struggle to even smile when we are left alone in grief, but people around us often help us see past our circumstances to a reason to smile. If we can help others in this small way, consider the greatness of God. He doesn’t just want to make you smile or help you cheer up in a moment, He desires to give you lasting joy in Him. We don’t have to pretend like everything is okay or try to force a smile when we come to God with our struggles and fears. He is with us and is working in those broken places of life, even when we can’t see it. He is our refuge and joy, no matter what.

• When have you struggled to hold onto hope in a difficult time? Who helped you through that?
• How does it feel to know God desires to give you joy in Him? How can you turn to Him as your refuge in hardship?
• Pray for someone who is struggling to have hope and ask God to give them joy in Him.