Joy in Full Bloom: Why Joy for May?

This article is part of a yearlong series exploring one foundational biblical word each month. This month, we are focusing on JOY. Subscribe to the Sunday Morning Newsletter and catch up on the entire series at amac.us/faith.

There’s something about May that feels like a fresh start. We often treat January as the “new year,” a time for resolutions, new habits, and bold declarations about who we’re going to become. But if we’re honest, January can feel like a strange time to begin again. It’s cold, the days are short, energy is low, and the world outside feels dormant. May, on the other hand, tells a different story. The sun stays out longer, the air warms, and flowers bloom. Trees that once looked lifeless are suddenly full again, and everywhere you look, there are signs of renewal. In many ways, life is waking up, making May feel more like a true new year than January ever did. This natural awakening makes joy a perfectly fitting focus for the month.

Joy and the Season of Renewal
Spring doesn’t just change the environment, it invites us to consider what’s happening within us. As creation reflects new life, we’re reminded that God is always in the business of renewal. Lamentations 3:22–23 tells us that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” This promise isn’t reserved for January or a single time of year, but is available every single day. Joy is deeply connected to this truth. It is not tied to circumstances or seasons of ease, but instead flows from the unchanging character of God and His ongoing work in our lives. Even so, if we’re honest, joy doesn’t always come naturally to us.

The Misunderstanding of Joy
Many people live with an unspoken assumption that if they don’t feel joy, they must not have it. When life gets hard, stress rises, or disappointment sets in, joy can feel distant, like something reserved only for better days. However, Scripture paints a very different picture. Galatians 5:22 reminds us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.” Because joy is a fruit of the Spirit, it is not something we manufacture ourselves.

This changes everything.

It means joy is not dependent on our personality, our circumstances, or our emotional state. It is rooted in the presence and work of God within us. The real question isn’t “Do I feel joyful?” but rather, “Am I walking with the One who produces joy?”

From Striving to Receiving
So often, we approach joy the same way we approach everything else: we try to generate it. We chase experiences, rearrange our circumstances, or tell ourselves to simply “be more positive.” When that doesn’t work, we assume something is wrong with us. But joy doesn’t come from striving; it comes from abiding. In John 15:11, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Notice the language used here – His joy in us. This is not about us creating joy, but about receiving His. We don’t have to chase joy, we simply invite it in.

The Role of Prayer
If joy is a work of the Spirit, it makes sense that we begin with prayer. We don’t demand or fake joy; we ask for it. Jesus makes this connection clear in John 16:24: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” This is an invitation to bring our lack, our heaviness, and our emotional fatigue to the Lord and ask Him to fill what we cannot. This shifts us from self-reliance to dependence, reminding us that joy is a gift to be received.

This doesn’t mean life suddenly becomes easy. In fact, Scripture often speaks of joy in the middle of difficulty rather than in the absence of it. James 1:2 famously tells us to “count it all joy when we meet various trials,” which only makes sense if joy is anchored in something deeper than our current situation. Christian joy is not a denial of pain, but a confidence in God. It is the quiet assurance that even when life feels uncertain or emotions fluctuate, God is still faithful and His promises remain steady.

Stepping Into Joy This Month
As we move through the month of May, let this be our starting point: joy is not a personality trait, it is not dependent on circumstances, and it is not something we manufacture. Joy is a gift of the Spirit, rooted in the presence of Christ, and available to us right now. Instead of striving for or chasing it, we begin by simply asking and receiving. As we do, we may find that just like the world around us, something within us begins to come alive again.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that joy is not something we have to chase, but a gift You freely give. When our hearts feel heavy or distant, remind us to come back to You—the true source of lasting joy.

Teach us to abide in Christ, to ask boldly, and to receive fully what only Your Spirit can produce within us. As creation comes alive this season, awaken our hearts to the joy that is already ours in You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Scripture Readings

Monday – Psalm 16:11
True and lasting joy is found not in circumstances, but in the presence of God, where fullness of joy is promised.

Tuesday – Galatians 5:22–23
Joy is not something we create – it is a fruit produced by the Spirit as we walk closely with Him.

Wednesday – John 15:9–11
Abiding in Christ is the pathway to experiencing His joy in us, leading to a life marked by fullness.

Thursday – John 16:24
Jesus invites us to ask and receive, reminding us that joy is a gift given through relationship with Him.

Friday – James 1:2–4
Even in trials, we can embrace joy because God is at work, growing and strengthening us through every season.

Saturday – Romans 15:13
God fills us with joy and peace as we trust in Him, causing hope to overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jonathan Griffin, Director of Advertising & Partner Development at AMAC | Former pastor & professor | Current husband & father | Redeemed sinner, saved by grace.