Finding Joy in a Broken World

“The LORD is kind to everyone who trusts and obeys him.” —Lamentations 3:25 (CEV)

We don’t have to look far to see that this world is broken. Earthquakes, wildfires, and storms remind us of creation’s fragility. Bodies wear out. Sickness interrupts our plans. Death is a part of life in this broken world. Many people wrestle with spiritual emptiness, wondering if their lives really matter.

It’s no surprise that hopelessness feels like an epidemic today. If this broken planet were the end of the story, despair would be the only logical response. But here’s the good news: it’s not the end of the story.

So how do you hold on to joy in a world filled with so much sorrow? How can you face disappointment, grief, or loss without giving up hope?

You do what Jeremiah did.

Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet.” He experienced rejection, loneliness, and intense suffering. In Lamentations, he describes what feels like the depth of despair: “I cannot find peace or remember happiness. . . . Thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable. That’s all I ever think about, and I am depressed.” (Lamentations 3:17, 19–20 CEV)

Maybe you’ve felt that way too—like misery is all you can think about, and joy feels like a distant memory.

But in the very next verses, Jeremiah makes a powerful shift: “Then I remember something that fills me with hope: The LORD’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. The LORD can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. Deep in my heart I say, ‘The LORD is all I need; I can depend on him!’” (Lamentations 3:21–25 CEV)

Did you catch it? The circumstances didn’t change—Jeremiah was still in the middle of pain and loss—but his focus changed. He turned his eyes from his problems to God’s promises.

And that’s the key for us too.

People will fail you. Circumstances will disappoint you. The things of this world will fade away. But God’s mercy is new every morning. His kindness never fails.

That means you don’t have to wait for things to “get better” to have hope. You don’t have to pretend everything is fine when it’s not. You can face the reality of a broken world and still choose joy—because your hope is anchored in the One who never changes.

The secret to joy, even in sorrow, is this: The Lord is all you need.

When you put your trust in Him, you gain:

·      Hope that goes deeper than your circumstances.

·      Peace that holds steady in the middle of chaos.

·      Joy that isn’t shaken by disappointment.

No wonder Jeremiah could say with confidence: “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!”

And so can you.