Life’s Jell-O Moments

Do you ever feel like you’re wading through Jell-O just to get through the day? Like everything is pushing back against you—your plans crumble, your to-do list laughs at you, and even the air seems to be gatekeeping oxygen?

Yeah, me too.

I’m in that season right now. The season where nothing seems to go right, where every step forward feels like two steps back, where every prayer starts with, “Lord, seriously?” and ends with, “Help.” Maybe you’re in that season too. If you are, let me tell you something that I’m telling myself every day: this season is temporary, and there is hope—for you, for me, for all of us.

But let’s be honest—sometimes, the hardest part about walking through a rough season isn’t the external struggles, it’s the internal battle. Our mindset can turn a bad day into a bad week and a tough season into a never-ending spiral of negativity.

The enemy loves to convince us that this is how it will always be. That things won’t get better. That God must be ignoring us. That the job won’t come, the bills won’t get paid, the situation won’t improve, and that our best days are behind us.

But here’s the truth: your outlook on life can change your experience in life.

What You Expect, You Will See

Ever notice that when you wake up expecting the day to be awful, it somehow obliges? You spill coffee, get stuck in traffic, and suddenly, the entire world seems to be plotting against you. You don’t see the good things that happen because you’re too busy looking for confirmation that the day is terrible.

It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

If we constantly expect disaster, we’ll find it. If we anticipate failure, we’ll see it everywhere. But guess what? The opposite is also true!

When we expect to see God move, we start noticing His hand at work. When we look for blessings, they start showing up—not because they weren’t there before, but because our hearts are finally open to seeing them.

Biblical Wisdom and Neuroscience Agree

Philippians 4:8 gives us a blueprint for this shift in mindset:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

This isn’t just some fluffy “positive thinking” advice. This is biblical wisdom that God designed into our very being.

The Science of Smiling

Let’s talk about something crazy—your brain can be tricked into feeling better just by smiling.

Yep. Science actually proves that the simple act of using those 17 little facial muscles to force a smile releases dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins—all those feel-good chemicals that boost your mood, reduce stress, and even relieve pain.

It doesn’t even matter if you don’t feel like smiling. Your brain doesn’t care whether the smile is real or fake—it reacts the same way.

Now imagine if that principle applied to your faith.

What if, even when you didn’t feel like trusting God, you still did? What if, even when your circumstances looked hopeless, you acted as though you knew God was in control? Eventually, your heart and mind would start catching up with the truth you were choosing to believe.

That’s faith in action.

Smiling Is Not Denial—It’s Trust

Now, I know what you’re thinking—“So, I’m just supposed to fake being happy all the time?”

Not at all.

Being a Christian doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means trusting God even when it’s not.

James 1:2-4 says:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

That doesn’t mean we have to enjoy suffering. It doesn’t mean we have to walk around grinning like we just won the lottery while our world falls apart. It means that even in our struggles, we can choose joy—not because of our circumstances, but because of who God is.

Jesus Himself told us:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Did you catch that? We will have trouble—it’s guaranteed. But so is the victory we have in Jesus.

Every Season Has An Expiration Date

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says:

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

These verses remind us that our struggles are temporary, but God’s work in us is eternal. Seasons change, but God’s promises remain the same.

And let’s be real—winter never lasts forever, even if February makes it feel that way.

Conclusion: Smiling in the Face of Life’s Jell-O

So, what have we learned today? Life sometimes feels like slogging through Jell-O, and the enemy wants us to believe we’ll be stuck in it forever. But we serve a God who parts seas, moves mountains, and—let’s be honest—probably laughs at how easily we panic.

Smiling doesn’t mean denying the struggle. It means recognizing that no storm lasts forever and that our God is bigger than whatever we’re facing. If forcing a grin can trick your brain into releasing happy chemicals, imagine what happens when we actively choose joy, no matter what?

So go ahead, crack a smile—if nothing else, you’ll confuse the devil.

Closing Prayer:

Lord, I don’t always feel like smiling. Sometimes, life is just hard. But I trust You. Help me to have a heart that chooses joy, a faith that looks forward, and a mindset that seeks You in every season. Amen.

Call to Action:

Are you in a tough season? Drop a comment below and let me know how I can pray for you. Also, I challenge you—smile today. Even if you don’t feel like it. Let’s trust God with our joy, even before we see the breakthrough! 😊