Chris Hall joins Stephanie Rousselle to reflect on the practice of delighting in God, especially during life’s later chapters or grief-laden season. The conversation weaves through wisdom gained in the “winter of life,” the significance of gratitude, and the centrality of God’s relational nature.
Chris Hall begins by honestly discussing aging, recognizing the “gift of years,” and learning acceptance—particularly of life’s inherent limitations and future partings. Acceptance, he says, is not resignation, but a posture of gratitude and detachment from what’s fleeting, allowing deeper attachment to what matters most: God’s loving presence and the relationships He’s given us.
Daily, Chris Hall and his wife pray, focusing on thankfulness. Even in uncertainty or suffering—as exemplified by their grandson with Down syndrome—gratitude centers their hearts on God’s mercy. “Lord, have mercy” becomes a foundational prayer, acknowledging deep dependence and God’s persistent goodness.
The journey hasn’t always been simple. Chris Hall shares that, particularly through experiences as a deputy coroner and witnessing immense suffering in places like Los Angeles, Calcutta, and Rwanda, he’s grappled with whether God is truly good. Encountering pain and tragedy forced honest questions: “Are you good or not?” But with time and spiritual wrestling, he’s emerged with a hard-won conviction of God’s steadfastness.
In today’s culture, delight is often confused with self-focus—“you have to love yourself first.” Chris Hall counters this, insisting that genuine delight is secondary, a “byproduct” of being drawn out of ourselves by something beautiful (the character of God, deep friendships, acts of love). This self-forgetfulness mirrors the Trinity—God’s relational essence—and is central to spiritual formation.
Using friendship as an example, Chris Hall speaks of the deep grief that attends the loss of his best friend—grief is the “tax we pay for loving.” Yet, grief and joy are intertwined. The richness of a 50-year friendship is the soil from which delight blooms; our relationships (rooted in God’s relational nature) are the stage for both love and loss.
For anyone struggling to delight in God, Chris Hall gently advises: “Lead with beauty.” Recognize the goodness around you—even in small ways. Beauty draws us out of our self-absorption into a posture of wonder, gratitude, and worship. He encourages practices like meditating on the Psalms and savoring passages from John’s, Romans, and Hebrews to nourish this vision.
Delight in God is neither sentimental nor shallow—it’s a mature joy forged in gratitude, beauty, courage, and faithfulness through all seasons. It invites us to accept limitations, let go of self-preoccupation, and savor God’s goodness, even amidst suffering. As Chris Hall and Stephanie Rousselle remind us, delight is tasted, seen, and deeply known—not chased for its own sake, but discovered in God Himself.
MORE ABOUT "AWAKEN DELIGHT" BY STEPHANIE ROUSSELLE
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." This is God's promise to you in Psalm 37:4. But many believers quietly assume it's just a poetic suggestion, or it doesn't really work here on earth.
In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselle invites you to rediscover what Scripture actually means by delight in God. It's not emotional hype or religious performance, but a steady satisfaction rooted in who God is.
Through biblical theology and practical rhythms, you'll learn how delighting in God
- reshapes suffering
- quiets restless striving
- anchors your identity in God's unshakable delight of you
Learning to delight in God is the quiet revolution that reshapes how we endure pain, love others, and understand our own hearts.
Awaken Delight is a theologically grounded spiritual formation book for thoughtful believers who feel spiritually fatigued and are ready to embrace the reality of Psalm 37:4.
More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight
DISCOVER THE BOOK BEHIND THE PODCAST | "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 isn't a poetic suggestion — it's a promise. But many believers quietly assume it doesn’t really work, or it's not really possible here on earth.
In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselle invites you to rediscover what Scripture actually means by delight — not emotional hype, not religious performance, but a steady satisfaction rooted in who God is.
Delight in God isn't a mood to manufacture; it's a relationship to receive.
Through biblical theology and practical rhythms, you'll learn how communion with God reshapes suffering, quiets restless striving, and anchors your identity in something unshakable.
Delighting in God isn’t sentimental optimism. It’s deeply rooted in Christ, Jesus.
It’s the quiet revolution that reshapes how we endure pain, love others, and understand our own heart.
Awaken Delight is a theologically grounded spiritual formation book for thoughtful believers who feel spiritually fatigued and are ready to embrace the reality of Psalm 37:4.
More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight
Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5J
- Kind words from Jennifer Rothschild, Bible teacher, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, Founder, Fresh Grounded Faith: “Stephanie helps us awaken to and experience true delight. It is a rich mix of God’s delight in you and your delight in him. This is the life you were made for, the life your soul deeply longs for. So, the table is set. Pull up a chair and let your heart sit alongside Stephanie. As your delight in God wakes up and becomes fully realized, you’ll find a satisfaction in Christ that makes you want more and more.”
- Kind words from Amanda Jenkins, Lead creator of THE CHOSEN's literary content: "I have yet to meet another person quite as eager to intimately know Jesus as Stephanie is. Her enthusiasm for the beauty found inside a thriving relationship with her Savior is downright contagious. Indeed, Stephanie’s joy and faith and commitment to growth—along with her love for really good food!—will implant themselves in the hearts of readers. Lucky readers."
- Kind words from Os Guinness, Theologian, Social critic, Author, The Call: "Stephanie addresses one of the greatest needs of Christians today. Knowing God is not knowing about God, but knowing Him genuinely and with desire and delight. She does so practically and helpfully, and in a style that sparkles with a verve and joy that is distinctively French."
- Kind words from Pippa Gumbel, Pioneer, The Alpha Course; Author, The Bible in one year with husband Nicky: "Stephanie’s love of God is inspiring and infectious. Her book is an invitation to share in that delight and to come to know God in new and wonderful ways."
More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight
Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5J
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