The Source of Joy in the Valley of Shadow

We often hear the exhortation to “find joy” in adversity. It’s a commendable sentiment, and one readily offered in times of suffering. But what does it truly mean to find joy when the hard isn’t over? Jenna Schutt, in a recent conversation on the *Angels Among Us* podcast, offers a profound and clarifying perspective—joy isn't something we excavate from the depths of despair; it is a gift bestowed upon us when we turn to the source of all goodness.

Her experience—a rare, incurable bone marrow disease diagnosed when her children were still in diapers—is a crucible of suffering. The recurrence, the aggressive nature of the illness, and the subsequent stem cell transplant would test the faith of even the most steadfast among us. Yet, amidst this trial, she testifies not to finding joy, but to receiving it. She recounts a moment of profound uncertainty before the transplant, a lack of peace despite her knowledge of God’s love and presence. Then, a clear prompting: “I think you should have the stem cell transplant and I think you should have it as soon as you possibly can.” Immediate peace followed, a peace not born of optimism, but of obedience and trust.

This echoes the words of the Prophet Isaiah: “And through the Lord’s voice the wilderness shall rejoice, and the desert shall blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1). The wilderness, the desert—these are not places of inherent joy. They are places of barrenness, of hardship, of trial. Yet, through the Lord’s voice, through His intervention, they are transformed. It is not the wilderness itself that rejoices, but the wilderness through the Lord’s voice.

Sister Schutt’s desire to avoid defining herself by her illness—to resist being known as “the joy girl”—is a crucial point. True joy is not a badge of resilience, a testament to personal strength. It is a recognition of dependence. As Moroni taught, “If ye will that I should be merciful unto you, and make my covenants with you, ye must be willing to repent of your sins and be baptized, even after that ye have been baptized, and spake with fire and the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 7:48). Repentance is not merely the cessation of transgression, but a turning—a turning away from self-reliance and towards divine grace.

The iron rod, as described in Lehi’s dream (Jeremiah 25:7–12), represents the word of God. It is the conduit through which we are sustained, through which we are led safely through the wilderness. To cling to the iron rod is to acknowledge our need for divine guidance, to surrender our own will to the Lord’s. It is in this surrender that true joy—the joy that is not contingent on circumstance—is found.

The Brethren have consistently emphasized the importance of relying on the Lord in times of adversity. President Russell M. Nelson has challenged us to “hear Him” (Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” General Conference, April 2020). Sister Schutt’s testimony is a powerful example of what it means to truly hear Him, to act upon His promptings, and to find strength not within ourselves, but in His unwavering love.

Let us examine our own lives. Are we seeking to find joy, or are we seeking to receive it? Are we clinging to the iron rod, or are we striving to navigate the wilderness on our own?