Choosing a Joy That Breaks Chains
Last summer, one of my dear friends told me about an encounter she’d had with a young group of students. My friend is an accomplished writer and frequent university speaker, and the students came to her because they were struggling to manage group dynamics surrounding an issue they each cared passionately about. Looking for wisdom, they asked her how to defuse tension when conflicts flared.
She listened and then asked, “Historically, what have people done to lift spirits in hard times? What simple, free tool has quieted bullies, unified groups, and replaced anger with joy and connection?”
The students were silent. I imagine my friend smiling at them before answering her own question.
“They sang.” She replied. “They would sing. No matter how difficult things feel, especially when tensions are high, you can always choose to sing.”
This truth echoes throughout history and Scripture. My friend’s meeting makes me think of Paul and Silas, two early missionaries arrested and trapped in a prison cell for sharing the message of Jesus. With no visible way out of a terrible situation, they chose to lift their voices.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16:25-26)
In that dark cell, Paul and Silas recognized that God had the power to release them. They did not know if God would – only that they served God with the power to transform situations and break chains and let his people go, no matter the bondage they are in.
So, they lifted their voices in that dark place. And, “the other prisoners were listening to them.” Their songs brought joy and freedom not only to themselves but to all those in chains around them.
Last night, fear and anger weighed down my mind as I reflected on a difficult situation. Tempted to spiral, I forced myself to sing. Not because I felt joyful, but because I needed to remember the goodness of God, even when I couldn’t see it. As I sang, my heart softened. My vision cleared. Joy returned, not as a fleeting emotion, but as a deep, unshakable presence.
We are all human, prone to brokenness, pain, and division. We can dig in our heels, hurt others, and forget that we serve a God who has already set us free. But joy is not reserved for easy days. It’s a tool, a weapon, and a gift we are invited to step into—even in the darkest places.
What situation in your life feels too heavy to bear? Where do you feel trapped, unsure of what comes next?
Sing.
Not because life isn’t hard, but because God is still good. Not because you know the outcome, but because you will not go through it alone. Lift your voice and declare the truth of God’s faithfulness. When you do, you invite Jesus into the darkness with you. And when Jesus enters, chains break, miracles happen, and joy rises again.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Where in your life do you struggle to find joy?
2. Are there places where fear, stress, or discouragement are drowning out your praise?
3. Consider how you can invite Jesus into those moments by choosing to sing, pray, or declare God’s goodness. How might shifting your focus to worship change your perspective and renew your heart?
