Biblical Answer

Can a small act of kindness bring joy to others when I'm feeling stuck?

Absolutely, a small act of kindness can bring joy to others even when you're feeling stuck. In fact, doing a kind action when you're not feeling kind and when it gives you no pleasure can be a powerful way to experience joy. As the Bible says, "You can be good for the mere sake of goodness; you cannot be bad for the mere sake of badness" (Ps. 126:1-2). By choosing to act with kindness, you can honor God and experience the promise of great gladness.

Moreover, kindness is a spiritual act that can permeate all levels of life and affect emotions in a very positive way. Unlike pleasure, which can be stimulated without affecting emotions, joy is a deeper and more meaningful experience that can bring happiness and fulfillment. When you choose to love others, you are not just fulfilling a duty, but you are also living according to your design as a created being. As the Bible says, "God created you to love others" (Ps. 126:1-2).

In addition, choosing to act with kindness can help you shift your focus away from your own feelings of stuckness and onto the needs of others. By doing something kind for someone else, you can experience a sense of purpose and meaning that can bring joy and happiness. This is not to say that your depression or feelings of stuckness will disappear, but it can help you see that there is more to life than just your own struggles. As one author puts it, "Loving others is not simply a duty; it is the way you are designed" (Ps. 126:1-2). By choosing to act with kindness, you can experience the joy and happiness that comes from living according to your design.