The heart can carry sadness and joy at the same time. 

I’ve experienced this intermingling. Sadness and joy sit opposite one another on the wheel of our emotions, but our hearts are equipped to balance the weight. True joy isn’t dependent on the circumstance we’re in, it’s anchored in the promises of God. We’re reminded in Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy gives us the strength to bear the sadness. 

Do the things that foster joy. Be thankful. Walk in the fresh air. Play music (singing and dancing encouraged). Really listen to the voices of the people you love. A friend once told me he knew someone whose ‘voice always sounded like a smile.’ Maybe it’s possible to hear the joy our heart needs.

The heart’s capacity to be sad and joyful at once doesn’t create a dilemma but a decision—and when choosing, joy would love to be first in line. 

“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe