Rhythms that Shape a Joyful Life - Bishop Justin Duckworth
Bishop Justin invites us to choose a posture of joy in the face of real‑world challenges by rooting our lives in God’s presence and the hope of eternity, then anchoring that posture in concrete spiritual practices that hold us on hard days and help joy overflow to others.
Why joy, and what sustains it?
In his New Year reflection, Justin stresses that joy doesn’t deny reality; it lives despite it, grounded in awareness of Jesus’s daily presence and confidence in God’s future restoration (“glad tidings of great joy”).
This eschatological hope and everyday companionship of Christ shape a resilient, thankful posture. Bishop Justin recommends establishing a yearly rhythm of spiritual disciplines so that on difficult days, the practices hold us in God’s mercy and perspective.
Concretely, he highlights:
Daily prayer in community (often using Lectio 365 or the Provincial Two‑Year app) to cultivate awareness of Jesus’s presence. Regular gathering as a discipline—e.g., attending New Wine at the start of the year for nourishment and retreat; consistently turning up to Ministry Leaders’ Family Camp; and in general, not giving up meeting together.
These communal anchors help re‑centre joy.
Core personal practices: Sabbath, retreat, fasting, Scripture reading, and spiritual direction—rhythms that keep eternity in view and nurture gratitude in the present. A committed small group (6–7 people) to “go deep” with—mutually encouraging faith and belonging.
In Justin’s own context (Castlecliff), this looks like praying daily, doing church, and sharing life together so that joy becomes communal and sustainable.
The invitation
Identify the few people God is inviting you to journey deeply with, then choose specific practices (prayer, gathering, Sabbath, Scripture, fasting, direction, retreat) that will help you live in Jesus’s presence and carry the hope of eternity into everyday life—so that joy becomes your steady posture this year.
Resouces:
Spiritual Practices for the New Year (2025) https://vimeo.com/1062256621/4c1a4c9a7e
"How People Change" by Timothy S Lane and Paul David
