Finding Joy in January: How to Renew a Spirit of Gladness

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:4-5 HCSB

It’s hard to be joyful in January.

In December, we may have been singing “Let It Snow.” But, when January arrives, we get tired of cold, dreary weather.

The bills roll in.

We face the consequences of holiday overindulgence, and we resolve to diet and exercise.

Have we taken our “Joy to the World” and put it in storage, along with our Christmas decorations?

Joy describes the elation of the wisemen who saw the star and the exuberance of the shepherds when angels appeared in the sky.

The excitement of the women at the tomb of the resurrected Jesus.

 The celebration in heaven when one sinner repents.

The quiet contentment of Paul and Silas as they sang in prison.

Deep in my soul, I want to rekindle that sparkle of joy I felt during the holiday season.

To discover a way to grasp that glimmer of gladness, I examined the epistles of the Apostle Paul. Paul often suffered persecution and imprisonment, and yet his writing exudes a joyous outlook.

Here are some steps I discovered to lead us back to joy.

Find Joy by Confronting Anxiety

Anxiety throws a wet blanket of the fire of joy. That’s why, after emphatically instructing us to rejoice, Paul tells us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything.

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 HCSB

The worries and concerns I push to the side in December tend to resurface in January.

To quell anxiety, we bring our problems to the Lord, knowing He cares for us. We trust Him to give us wisdom for every decision and strength for every challenge.

Correcting Ungrateful Attitudes

Rejoice always!
Pray constantly.
   Give thanks in everything,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 HCSB

A grumpy, envious, ungrateful attitude can extinguish every last ember of the flame of joy.

In autumn, we tend to focus on giving thanks and praise. January is not the time to put our pens down and close our Thankfulness journals.  

We need to continually remind ourselves what God has already done in our lives and what we trust he will do in the future. After we remove killjoy attitudes, we can begin to renew our spirit of gladness.

Concentrate on the Positive

If we want to dispel negative thoughts, we have to replace them with positive ones.

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 HCSB

I can easily slip into a grouchy, what’s-this-world-coming-to frame of mind. Yet if I’m not careful, I miss all the wonders of our good God who is still at work in the world.

If we train our minds to focus on the things that are true, lovely, and praise-worthy, our attitude will change.

Live a Spirit-Controlled Life

And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 HCSB

 ^“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 HCSB

If we belong to Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living in us to guide us and empower us to follow Christ. But when we don’t yield to the Spirit’s guidance, joy and all that other sweet fruit is absent in our lives.

I have a serious-minded personality, so cheerfulness is not my default setting. But lately I’ve begun a practice of daily praying, “Lord, fill me with your Spirit. Make me joyful.” This may sound simplistic, but I’m here to tell you it works.

Celebrate and Sing

“speaking to one another
in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
singing and making music
from your heart to the Lord,
Ephesians 5:19 HSBC

After instructing the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit, Paul tells them to speak the truth to one another and sing. Speaking truth strengthens our faith. We improve our spiritual health when we sing hymns and listen to spiritual songs. Singing and listening to music has a positive effect on our physical and mental health as well.

In January, we needn’t tuck away our sheet music for “Joy to the World.” That hymn refers to the second coming of Christ, which we await with joyful expectation. We have so many reasons to sing.

Find Joy in Connection

“So then, my brothers, you are dearly loved and longed for—my joy and crown. In this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.” Philippians 4:1 HCSB

In January, when all the parties are over and the weather is dreary, we may tend to cocoon in our living rooms. But let’s be careful not to isolate ourselves from Christian community. Studies show that people who maintain strong relationships are happier and healthier.

As Paul wrote from his prison cell, he continued to connect with the people he loved. He named several things that caused him to rejoice, many of which dealt with his relationships.

He rejoiced when his friends spread the gospel (Phil 1:3-5) and grew in their faith (Phil 1:25-26). He rejoiced when the Philippians sent Epaphroditus to deliver aid (Phil 4:10-20). And he gave them cause to rejoice when he sent Epaphroditus back to them (Phil 2:25-30).

Putting Joy into Practice

Here are a few steps we can take to reclaim our joy in January:

• Spend some time talking to God about problems and concerns.
• Ask for the Holy Spirit to fill us so we can display joy.
• In a journal, make a list of the things that are right.
• Turn on some praise music. Sing.
• Plan a get-together with friends.

Let’s show the world we have reason to rejoice.

This post was first published in Living By Design’s Saturday Soulfood email in January, 2025.

Images courtesy of Ray Hennessy, Gabrielle Henderson, Michael Maasen, and Priscilla DuPreez on Unsplash.