Toxic Positivity vs. Skepticism of Joy

One friend recently thanked City Church for not practicing “toxic positivity” - that sense that we should always be smiling and happy. City Church has been a place of refuge for many who have been dismissed for their doubt or struggles, and for that we give thanks. Sometimes, however, our church culture can tend towards being skeptical of joy and comfort. So what might it look like to lean - really deeply - into comfort this week?

There’s probably a ditch on both sides of this road. One side is toxic positivity and the other is skepticism of joy. It seems like the prophets managed to find a healthy balance.

Isaiah freely named the ruins of his communal life while still holding hope in God for comfort. Did you catch that? He did both. He faced the harshness of reality and yet experienced comfort in it.

Take some time to meditate on this short verse today. What speaks to you? Do you lean more towards dismissing the harshness of these troubled times or do you lean more towards dismissing the experience of true comfort from God? Talk with Jesus about these things after you’ve sat with these words for a few moments.

The Lord will surely comfort Zion
    and will look with compassion on all her ruins. Isaiah 51:3