Sometimes, even in days of festivity, it can be difficult to find something to be joyful about. For many, the arrival of holidays brings up memories of loved ones no longer here to share these moments with them. There are also those whose lives have undergone tremendous pain and difficulty, making the holidays even more difficult because the contrast between their lives and the season seems to make the awfulness of their situation even more apparent.
It is okay not be filled with joy when times around us are difficult or worse. I would argue that being joyful while it feels that the world is collapsing around you is a clear sign of psychotic behavior. Feeling depressed in difficult or trying times is the appropriate reaction. What is essential is that we not lose the hope that joy will still come into our lives.
It is here that we look to God and the marvelous world that He has provided for us. He is here to help us heal, to forgive us for our faults, to lift us from our troubles, and to ultimately save us from the darkness that plagues us. When we are ready, He opens us up to the joy that has been waiting for us all along.
I don't have any easy answer for how we get there. It has been my experience that I have to leave myself open to accept the joys that present themselves rather than hold onto regret for those things that did not happen as I planned. In doing so, I find that there are many more moments of joy there in my life.