What To Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense

Message Summary:

When is the last time you saw something and thought—that makes no sense at all? Menus with no prices. Taco Bell drive-thru closed at 10PM on a Friday night. Women’s pants having fake pockets. These things make no sense! But on a more serious note, we’ve all experienced moments, days, and even seasons of life that don’t seem to make sense. What do we do? We choose joy.

In a world that feels increasingly heavy, cynical, and divided, joy stands as a holy act of rebellion. Defiant Joy is a call to live with a joy that refuses to be defined by circumstances or by the lies of the enemy. 

Joy is confidence in God’s goodness no matter what’s going on around you. 

It’s the fruit of the Spirit and the anchor of a heart rooted in God’s truth.

Habakkuk was a prophet living in a time when nothing made sense. Injustice filled the streets, and those trying to do right were crushed. Instead of preaching to the people, Habakkuk talked to God—honestly, painfully, faithfully. “Why aren’t You doing something?” he cried.

And yet, by the end of his prayer, Habakkuk made a stunning declaration:

“Though the fig tree does not bud… yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Habakkuk’s world was barren, yet he still rejoiced. His joy wasn’t denial; it was defiance. It was trust that God was still good, still sovereign, still worthy of praise.

Joy is how you fight back.

So how do you actually grow in joy? You rejoice before you feel it. You warm up your heart before you hit the road. Like heating your car on a cold winter morning, joy melts the ice of fear, worry, and despair. When you worship before the breakthrough, your heart clears up enough to see where God is taking you.

Jesus modeled this perfectly: “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2). He looked through the pain and saw our redemption. Through death, He saw resurrection. Joy was how Jesus fought back—and it’s how we fight back, too.

True joy doesn’t start with circumstances. It starts with surrender. It begins when you give your heart to Jesus, let Him forgive your sin, and fill you with His Spirit.

Joy begins when you surrender to the One who has already won.