Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation 136 The One Thing Your Soul Actually Wants
Mar 17, 2026
A conversation about practicing joy during Lent and why making space for delight matters. A short gratitude practice leads into reflections on Hebrews 12 and the “joy set before Jesus.” They explore wilderness seasons, spiritual bypassing, and how stored joy builds resilience. Practical prompts invite noticing times you felt truly enjoyed and collecting small moments of connection.
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Joy Is Relational Not Circumstantial
- Joy is the relational feeling that someone is glad to be with you, distinct from circumstantial happiness.
- Geoff links Jesus' joy at baptism and the “joy set before him” as a foundation for enduring wilderness and the cross.
Opening Day Baseball As Intentional Joy
- Geoff celebrates opening day baseball as a simple recurring joy he protects each year.
- He blocks his schedule: no meetings, no recordings, just opening day and Cubs gear.
A Toddler Saying It's You Demonstrates Joy
- Cyd volunteers in a toddler classroom and experiences joy when a child eagerly recognizes her.
- The child's exclamation "it's you" exemplifies relational gladness that fills Cyd with joy.
