The Quiet Return of Joy (A reflection about God.)

✨“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” – Psalm 126:3 ✨

After Eric died, happiness vanished. Did that happen for you too?

It didn’t just fade—it disappeared, like someone had switched off a light I didn’t know could go dark. With him, happiness had been second nature. It lived in our music, our private jokes, our rituals—the way we teased each other while cooking, or sat in silence with nothing left to prove.

That kind of ease left with him. I remembered that ease as happiness.

But as time passed and I healed, something unexpected began to settle in—not loud or exciting, but steady.

I didn’t know what to call it at first. It looked too ordinary. It was in the grit of doing hard things alone—figuring out how to fix the printer or speak up for myself at the car dealership.

It was in the deep breath after I held it together for my kids. It was in trying something new that didn’t carry our memories—like hiking trails I’d never walked before or uncorking wine in a room where only my voice filled the silence (or a stray kid or two running through).

I healed more: writing, trying new things, saying yes, taking up pickleball...

And then I noticed: I wasn’t just surviving anymore.

I was stepping into something deeper than happiness. I was learning joy.

Joy doesn’t always come with laughter or lightness. Sometimes it arrives in the stillness. Sometimes it shows up after you’ve been through the fire and realize—you’re still here.

You’re still becoming.

The Lord has done great things for me. 🙌

Not by undoing the pain, but by walking with me through it. Not by giving me back what I lost, but by teaching me to carry it with strength and grace.

This is joy. It does not depend on circumstances.It is rooted in the truth that God is not finished with me yet.

Reflection:

🌼 Have you noticed joy showing up yet—even in small, ordinary places?

🌱 What “great things” has the Lord done in your life that grief hasn’t erased?

💭 How does joy feel different from happiness for you?

💛 How can you look for joy here and there instead of dwelling in the desolation?

🙏Prayer: God, You have walked with me through so much, and I’m still here. I miss the happiness I once knew. But I thank You for the deeper strength You’re growing in me. Thank You for every flicker of joy—the quiet triumphs, the unexpected peace, the still moments where I know You are near. Help me hold onto that. Help me live like joy is possible again. Because You have done great things for me—and You’re not done yet. Amen.

Widowfriend, I would love to hear what you think about happiness vs. joy. Email me lisa@thewidowscomeback.com and share!