I admit I laughed a little when I realized this was the topic I had chosen! By hard-wiring and by life experience, I know my way around the heavier side of life. I understand grief. Anyone familiar with my catalog knows that I often write music that speaks to people’s brokenness. In fact, out of my hundreds of published works, my colleagues and I joke that I could count the “happy songs” on my fingers!
But here’s what I’ve learned: rejoicing isn’t about personality type. It’s a holy discipline. It’s an act of obedience that builds faith and, somewhat ironically, produces even deeper joy. So I’d like to think this blog might carry a little more weight than the usual “just be joyful” article—maybe because I’ve worked for it.
Rejoicing in the Big Things
Some moments in life stop us in our tracks: A prayer answered in an unmistakable way. A story of healing. A rescue we couldn’t have planned. A victory that clearly wasn’t our doing. In those moments, our hearts know exactly what to do: we rejoice.
The Bible is full of these kinds of stories. Seas part. Walls fall. Stones roll away. The disciples themselves “returned with joy” when they saw God’s power at work. And yet, even as I read those stories, I sometimes forget to notice the “mighty works” in my own daily life.
Rejoicing in the Smaller Things
God doesn’t just part seas—He parts DFW traffic so I actually make it to places on time. He doesn’t just multiply loaves—He multiplies energy in a tired body to get through another long Sunday. He doesn’t just raise the dead—He breathes life into weary hearts that had almost given up.
And yes, sometimes He even pulls together that anthem at the very last moment—the one that sounded like it might collapse in rehearsal but somehow comes alive in worship. That, too, is the work of God!
Our Response to God Working
Rejoicing is more than polite gratitude. It’s a holy recognition that the Author of the universe just moved in my story. And when we stop to rejoice—out loud, in song, in prayer, in community—it does something in us. It lifts our eyes off of ourselves and back onto Him.
Psalm 126 says, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Not might do. Not once did long ago. He has done great things. Our response? Joy!
The Gift of Rejoicing
Here’s another gift of rejoicing: it builds our faith. Every time we stop to celebrate what God has already done, we remind ourselves, and anyone within earshot, that He is faithful, active, and not finished yet.
Paul captured this beautifully in Philippians 1:6: “… He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” That’s true for your personal walk, and it’s true for the ministries we shepherd.
But sometimes, as leaders, we slip into thinking the growth, the impact, and the fruit all depend on us. If the choir thrives, it’s on our shoulders. If worship feels flat, it’s our fault. If ministry falters, it’s because we didn’t try hard enough.
Rejoicing in God corrects this perspective. It reminds us: God started this work. God is sustaining this work. And God will finish this work.
That’s a confidence builder in the hard weeks. If He carried Israel through the desert, if He raised Lazarus, if He grew the early church against all odds, He can certainly handle this year’s Christmas program with its 47 moving parts.
The Practice of Rejoicing
So how do we actually practice this discipline of joy on purpose? It doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. Often, it’s about pausing just long enough to notice.
- Start rehearsals with gratitude. Ask your choir where they’ve seen God at work this week. It could be a big breakthrough or a small mercy. Either way, the atmosphere in the room will shift.
- Name God’s fingerprints in the moment. When the anthem holds together on Sunday morning despite Wednesday’s train wreck, call it what it is: God’s grace.
- Keep a “works of God” journal. Write down those moments that make you stop and smile—the ones you’d forget by next week if you didn’t capture them. On the tough days, flip back through and be reminded.
- Bring rejoicing into worship. A simple “Friends, here’s how we saw God move this week” spoken before a song or anthem can awaken hearts to His presence in their own stories.
Rejoicing isn’t about ignoring challenges or faking happiness. It’s about lifting our eyes, again and again, to the God who is always working—even when we can’t see it clearly.
In Conclusion
So today, what if we paused long enough to name one “mighty work” God has done in our lives—whether it looked like a Red Sea miracle or simply the daily manna of strength for another day? And then, what if we rejoiced—really rejoiced in it?
Because when we learn to notice, we’ll see: His mighty works are everywhere. And joy, chosen on purpose, will not only strengthen our faith—it will transform our worship.
