We live in a world with the most advanced technology humanity has ever known, yet the statistics tell us something sobering. People are lonelier, more anxious, and more depressed than ever before. We are more connected digitally, but more disconnected emotionally and spiritually.
Yes, modern medicine has made incredible progress. There are medications that help suppress symptoms and stabilize emotions, and thank God for help where it’s needed. But suppression is not the same as freedom. True freedom only comes in one form, and that is found in the name of Jesus.
Scripture is clear about the authority carried in that name:
“God exalted him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth”
(Philippians 2:9–10)
Everything bows to the name of Jesus. Not just demons, but fear, despair, depression, sickness, and hopelessness. Which means renewing your youth, your strength, and your joy doesn’t start with external fixes. It starts with a decision.
Choosing Joy Is Not Naive, It’s Powerful
Quite simply, it starts with deciding to be happy.
That might sound almost too simple, but happiness is far more intentional than people realize. It’s choosing to guard joy. Choosing to laugh. Choosing to notice the things that lift your spirit instead of constantly rehearsing what drains it.
And no, this has nothing to do with booking the latest luxury overseas holiday or spending an entire day in the shopping mall buying things you don’t need. Those things may distract you for a moment, but they don’t renew you. Joy is found in small, soul-feeding things. A good laugh. A meaningful conversation. Time with God. Gratitude. Rest.
A powerful example of this is Norman Cousins.
In 1964, Cousins, who was already a successful author and professor, was diagnosed with a crippling connective tissue disease. Doctors gave him a one-in-five-hundred chance of survival. Rather than submitting fully to despair, Norman made a bold and unconventional choice. He checked himself into a place where he could watch funny movies and comedy shows for hours each day. He also took high doses of Vitamin C.
Most importantly, he laughed.
He later said that ten minutes of genuine laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep. Over time, he laughed his way back into health. Against all odds, he recovered.
That’s Norman’s story.
But as believers, we actually have an inside edge.
Philippians 3:1 (TPT) says:
“Delight yourselves in the Lord! Yes, I am telling you again to rejoice, for joy is your continual safeguard.”
Joy isn’t optional. It’s protective. It safeguards your heart, your mind, and yes, even your body. And unlike the world’s version of happiness, this joy isn’t dependent on circumstances. It’s rooted in Christ.
So what can we actually glean from everything we’ve talked about so far?
First, God never designed strength to decrease simply because days increase. The promise in Deuteronomy is clear: as your days are, so shall your strength be. Weakness, decline, and mental dullness are not automatic outcomes of aging. They are often the result of what we believe, what we agree with, and what we allow to live unchecked in our hearts and minds.
Second, joy is not a personality trait. It’s a spiritual condition. Scripture repeatedly links joy, a merry heart, and rejoicing to life, health, and renewal. Conversely, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, and ongoing sorrow dry up the spirit and eventually affect the body. The Bible is remarkably honest about that connection.
Third, we’ve seen that worldly sorrow ages us. It drains joy, dulls hope, and slowly steals life. Godly sorrow, on the other hand, leads to repentance, freedom, and restoration. One produces death. The other produces life. We don’t get to avoid sorrow entirely, but we do get to choose which kind we live in.
We also saw through Norman Cousins’ story that joy is not trivial. Laughter, gladness, and hope have measurable effects on the body. If joy could help bring healing even outside of faith, how much more powerful is joy when it is rooted in Christ?
That brings us to a crucial question:
If joy renews strength, protects the spirit, and safeguards the heart, then where does that joy actually come from on a daily basis?
Scripture gives us a very clear answer, and it’s found in a verse many believers know, but often underestimate.
The scripture is Luke 10:19:
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
First, this verse speaks clearly about the authority given to us as believers. We are not powerless victims, hoping life treats us kindly. We have been given authority to come against things that harm us, including the very forces that wear us down emotionally, mentally, and physically and cause us to age before our time. Fear, oppression, despair, bitterness, and hopelessness are not meant to dominate the believer’s life.
Second, there’s an important implication here that often gets missed. You don’t trample on snakes and scorpions by standing still. Trampling requires movement. Forward motion. If we quit, stagnate, or settle spiritually, we don’t end up trampling anything. Instead, those same snakes and scorpions eventually make their way to us and start doing the trampling.
We have to keep moving forward in God.
And let’s be honest, this might also be the Lord’s subtle way of saying, “Keep walking” – like literally! After all, you can’t trample much from the couch. Walking keeps you moving spiritually and physically, and research backs up what Scripture has been hinting at all along: walking (or exercising) is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay youthful, strong, and mentally sharp. So, as your days increase, increase the walking. Kingdom living apparently includes cardio.
The good news is this: the promise that our best days are still ahead of us isn’t wishful thinking or blind optimism. It’s rooted in Scripture, and we now have solid biblical backing to stand on. God has made His intentions clear. Strength is meant to increase with our days, joy is meant to guard our hearts, and renewal is meant to be ongoing. Now the invitation is simple. Believe what God has said, stop agreeing with the lies of decline, and walk it out daily in obedience and humility. Forward motion, grounded faith, and a joyful heart will always lead to life.
Tales from the Tangled Trail 