Rejoice
“In my twelve years of research . . . I have never interviewed a single person with the capacity to experience joy who does not also actively practice gratitude.”—Brené Brown
I remember lying in the grass as a child, watching clouds drift slowly across the sky and naming their shapes without urgency or expectation. No one needed anything from me. I wasn’t trying to prove or protect myself. I was simply living. As that memory surfaced I realized how rare it had become for me to feel that kind of unguarded presence. Healing has given that gift back to me.
For much of my life I misunderstood joy. I thought it was a feeling that appeared only when circumstances cooperated—when life felt light, problems were solved, and wounds stayed quiet. But Scripture tells a different story. Joy is strength. Joy is endurance. Joy is what remains when we have been stripped of illusions and anchored instead in love. As healing took root in my heart, joy didn’t arrive as a burst of happiness; it settled in as a steady presence, reminding me that I was safe, held, and no longer alone.
There are several variations of the word for “joy” in Hebrew. One of them, chedvah, is a noun derived from the root word meaning “to rejoice” (chadah). I find that deeply comforting. Rather than condemning ourselves for not feeling joyful, we can respond in obedience. We can take action. Instead of waiting to feel joyful we can choose to rejoice.
We can rejoice when we feel lost and afraid in the reality that YHWH will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). We can rejoice that our hope is built not on broken people or shifting circumstances but on the foundation that YHWH is always good (Psalm 34:8). We can rejoice that nothing will ever separate us from His unfailing love (Romans 8:38–39). And we can take delight in the truth that we are no longer trapped in rejection but learning—breath by breath—to remain in His embrace.
The word chedvah appears only twice in Scripture. The first instance is in 1 Chronicles 16:27: “Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy [chedvah] are in His place” (NASB). The second is in Nehemiah 8:10: “Don’t be sad because the joy [chedvah] you have in Yahweh is your strength” (GW). These verses remind us that joy is not something we must manufacture; it already exists in YHWH’s presence. To dwell in His love is to dwell where joy lives.
Another Hebrew word for “joy” is śimḥâ, which expresses a deep delight found in YHWH’s presence. One of the most cherished verses of my healing journey uses this word: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy [śimḥâ]; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11, ESV). This is not a fleeting happiness but a fullness—an abundance—an overflowing, endless, waterfall kind of joy.
Yeshua echoed this truth when He stated, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV). Rejection had stolen much from us—our confidence, our voice, our sense of belonging. But Yeshua came to restore what was lost. He came to give us a full, overflowing, abundant life.
The research professor and author Brené Brown observes, “In my twelve years of research . . . I have never interviewed a single person with the capacity to experience joy who does not also actively practice gratitude.” This insight aligns far more deeply with Scripture than I had ever realized. Gratitude opens the heart to joy, and joy anchors us in YHWH’s love.
A cheerful heart is good medicine.
Solomon observed that “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22, NIV). For many years I lived with that crushed spirit. I felt dry, brittle, and exhausted from the inside out. Yet YHWH in His mercy began to gently breathe life back into me. The more I welcomed His presence, the more warmth returned to my soul. My heart began to soften. My lungs began to inflate. Does that resonate with you?
In The Joy Switch: How Your Brain’s Secret Circuit Affects Your Relationships—And How You Can Activate It, the pastoral counselor Chris Coursey explains that scientists have identified a relational joy circuit in the brain that is designed to help us thrive in connection—with others, with ourselves, and with YHWH. He writes, “By building joy, we increase emotional capacity, our ability to handle hard stuff. We can even say joy ‘trauma-proofs’ people.” Joy does not ignore the pain of the past; it strengthens us to rise above it.
Our brains, he notes, often function like a rearview mirror. We look behind us to predict what lies ahead. If all we see is trauma, rejection, and loss, then hopelessness becomes our expectation. I lived that way for far too long, assuming that tomorrow would feel like yesterday. But healing shifted my vision. As YHWH restored me my gaze began to lift from what was behind and turn toward what He was doing now. I could lift my head toward the future with hope, with joy.
Have you noticed that, when the air is fresh and the sky is clear, you naturally lift your head a little higher? That is what hope does. That is what joy does. It changes the way we breathe. It changes the way we see.
Coursey identifies several emotions that can turn off our “joy switch”: shame, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, and hopeless despair. These emotions once ruled my internal world. When I did not feel joy I searched for it in unhealthy places—relationships, food, distractions, anything that promised to dull the ache. But none of those substitutes could ever replace the sustaining presence of YHWH.
True joy is strengthened through connection, appreciation, and rest. We are created for relationship. “We need to be seen, heard, and understood. The brain’s attachment center is looking for someone to trust,” Coursey explains. I realize now that YHWH was the very first One I needed to trust—and that in His mercy He slowly helped me learn how.
Appreciation is another essential key. Coursey suggests keeping both a mental and a written list of moments that have awakened joy in us—the people, the laughter, the sunlight on water, the scent of rain, the touch of a hand, the gentle whisper of worship music in a quiet room. When we do this, our brains respond as though we are reliving the joy. Gratitude rewires the mind. A grateful heart begins to search for goodness everywhere. Paul exhorts us, “Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Yeshua that you do this” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, GW).
Finally, there is rest. Deep, holy rest. The kind that quiets the soul and steadies the breath. When peace is absent something is out of alignment. But when peace flows it is a sign that we are abiding where we are meant to be. David wrote, “I always keep Yahweh in front of me. When he is by my side, I cannot be moved. That is why my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body rests securely” (Psalm 16:8–9, GW).
This is the kind of joy I now seek—not loud or frenetic, not forced or fleeting, but rooted, steady, and anchored in His love. Strength and joy are found in His dwelling place (1 Chronicles 16:27). This is the space in which I am learning to live. Life tries to convince us that we do not belong anywhere. Rejection tries to override our identity. But YHWH, in His great love, rewrote my story. And He is rewriting yours.
John reminds us, “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:16, NIV). To live in love is to live in Him. To remain in Him is to remain in joy. To remain in joy is to breathe in the very air of heaven. And so, I breathe. Join me in breathing in His mercy, His grace, and the love that never gave up on us.
Stand at Niagara Falls and let the mist of His presence cascade over you, saturating what was once dry, reviving what was once dormant, restoring what was once broken. Don’t hold your breath. Inhale His truth. Exhale the lies of rejection. Rejoice in the life-giving love of our YHWH.
Prayer
Father, I choose to dwell in Your place of strength and joy. Teach me to breathe in Your love each day. Help me activate the joy You have placed within me and to remain aware of Your healing work in every area of my heart. Continue to restore what has been wounded. Reveal the people You have placed in my life for stability, encouragement, and connection. When my thoughts turn negative or critical, gently redirect my mind to truth. Help me to slow down and create sacred spaces of rest so that my body, soul, and spirit can be renewed. Lead me back to Your peace again and again. Thank You for the beauty You are restoring in me and for Your unfailing, life-giving love.
Application
Think of a memory of a time when you felt safe, joyful, and content. Perhaps it was outdoors, in worship, with someone you love, or in a quiet moment alone with YHWH. Close your eyes and relive that moment. What do you hear? What do you see? What does the air feel like on your skin? Notice your breath. Do you feel calm? Do you feel peace returning to your body? Return to it whenever distress tries to steal your joy.
Journal prompt
Reflect on your healing journey from beginning to end. What has shifted in your heart? What has YHWH revealed to you about His love? For your final prompt, write a letter to YHWH expressing your gratitude. Thank Him for the healing He has given, the places He has met you in pain, and the fresh air of His love that now oxygenates your lungs with life.
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To read more about healing from early childhood rejection in this series, click on the links: Introduction, Distrust, Worthlessness, Loneliness, Depression, Hopelessness, Anxiety, Fear, Anger, Grief, Unforgiveness, Love Oneself, ‘aheb, hesed, racham, Hosea, Messiah, Agapaó, Apostle John, Holy Spirit, Apostle Paul, Confess, Pray, Worship, Rest, Cope, Exercise, Nourish, Dance, Renew OR…
Endnotes:
Epigraph: Brené Brown, “Brené Brown on Joy and Gratitude,” Global Leadership Network, accessed June 1, 2023, https://globalleadership.org/articles/leading-yourself/brene-brown-on-joy-and-gratitude.
Bible Hub, s.v. “chedvah,” accessed February 5, 2025, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2304.htm.
Bible Hub, s.v. “chadah,” accessed February 5, 2025, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2302b.htm.
Blue Letter Bible, s.v. “śimḥâ,” accessed February 5, 2025, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8057/kjv/wlc/0-1/.
Chris Coursey, The Joy Switch: How Your Brain’s Secret Circuit Affects Your Relationships—And How You Can Activate It (Chicago: Northfield Publishing, 2021).
I love the idea that Joy is endurance.
And gratitude goes hand in hand with that!
A lovely prayer, Liz. The joy of the Lord is our strength.