Finding Joy in Rhythm

Are you a creature of habit? The kind who orders the same coffee every time. Takes the same route to work. Has a “right” way to load the dishwasher and gets annoyed when someone does it wrong. (Just me?) There’s comfort in routine. Familiarity feels safe. Predictable feels manageable. But sometimes, without realizing it, routine turns into autopilot.

Jesus says in John 15:11, “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” Not rushed joy. Not forced joy. Complete joy—the kind that settles in when we stay connected to Him instead of running ahead on our own.

There’s a certain kind of chaos that doesn’t look like chaos at all. It looks like productivity. Full calendars. Answered emails. Clean counters. To-do lists that get checked off one by one. From the outside, everything appears fine—even successful. But on the inside, something feels off. Like you’re moving constantly… but not really living.

Picture this.. you're standing in your kitchen. Nothing is wrong. Dinner is cooking. The dogs are at your feet. A podcast is playing softly in the background. It's one of those quiet, ordinary moments you usually love. But instead of feeling present, your mind is racing—thinking about what still needs to be done, what you hadn’t gotten to yet, what tomorrow will bring. You are physically there (in the kitchen cooking), but mentally already gone.

It's hit you, you lost your rhythm. Not in a dramatic, life-falling-apart kind of way. But in a slow, subtle way. Somewhere along the line, your days had become about efficiency instead of enjoyment. You weren't doing anything wrong—you just aren't leaving room for joy to settle in.

So do something small. Turn off the podcast. Let the silence feel uncomfortable. At first it'll be too quiet. Too still. But then you'll notice the sound of the dogs walking. The hum of the oven. The light coming through the window. And for the first time that day, just maybe... your breathing will slow. And joy—real, calm, stready joy—will show up unannounced. It won't be in the form of excitement or laughter, but in the form of peace.

Joy doesn’t always come from adding something new. Sometimes it comes from removing the noise. From letting life breathe. From allowing yourself to move at a pace that isn’t rushed or forced. I’ve learned that when my rhythm is healthy, joy follows naturally. But when my rhythm is rushed—when every moment is filled, every silence avoided, every day packed to the brim—joy gets drowned out. Not because it’s gone, but because I’m moving too fast to notice it. God never asked us to live at a breakneck speed or on cruise control. He invites us into a rhythm that includes work and rest. Movement and stillness. Doing and being.

Joy isn’t found in a perfectly balanced schedule (trust me... been there, tried that) or in a magically stress-free life (is there even such). It’s found in presence. In choosing to slow down enough to recognize God is already there—right in the middle of your ordinary moments.

Some days joyful rhythm looks like productivity and momentum. Other days it looks like silence, stillness, and letting yourself rest without guilt. Both matter. Both are holy. And both are necessary. I’m learning that joy becomes sustainable when it’s woven into the rhythm of our lives—not saved for weekends, milestones, or “someday.” God meets us in the middle of our routines. And when we learn to move with Him instead of rushing ahead, joy stops feeling fragile and starts feeling familiar.

SHE Walks in Faith

Life can feel rushed in more places than we realize. Take a moment and notice where hurry has quietly crept in:

• In the mornings, when your mind is already racing through the day before your feet hit the floor.

• In your calendar, when every open space gets filled and rest feels optional instead of necessary.

• At work, when productivity matters more than presence and you’re thinking about what’s next.

• In conversations, when you’re listening—but already forming your response.

• In prayer, when quiet feels uncomfortable and you rush through it like another task to complete.

• On your phone, when scrolling becomes automatic and comparison steals your joy.

• In relationships, when connection gets squeezed in between responsibilities instead of prioritized.

• In waiting seasons, when impatience whispers that you should be further along by now.

• In your thoughts, when worry pulls you ahead of the present moment.

  
  

Pause today and invite God into the places where life feels hurried. Remember, He doesn’t rush you—He walks with you.

🩷 Prayer

God, thank You for offering me a joy that doesn’t depend on my pace or performance. Help me remain connected to You and live in a rhythm that allows Your joy to stay and grow in my life. Teach me to slow down, breathe deep, and trust You with every step. Amen.