About this episode
Do you ever find yourself dwelling on the negative? Or complaining a little too much? Today’s guest, Chip Ingram, knows exactly what that’s like. In fact, his powerful journey through chronic pain and hardship is what led him to write his book, I Choose Joy: Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life. In our conversation, Chip shared how renewing your mind—a biblical practice that transforms how we think—became his pathway to experiencing joy in the midst of overwhelming circumstances.
Choosing Joy When Life is Hard
Chip’s story starts with something so ordinary—playing basketball. But that game ended with a herniated disc, setting him on a seven-year journey through chronic pain, multiple surgeries, and long, grueling rehab sessions. During those years, Chip was pastoring a large church, managing four services every Sunday, and trying to push through life as if everything was normal.
But life wasn’t normal.
Over time, Chip’s perspective darkened, though he didn’t see it until his wife gently pointed it out by asking, “Do you recognize how negative you’ve become?”
That question stopped him. He didn’t want to admit it, but she was right.
The Turning Point: Renewing His Mind
In what Chip describes as the sovereignty of God, he was invited to speak at the Billy Graham Conference on Philippians 1—Paul’s letter written while chained under house arrest. Paul’s words radiated joy despite his circumstances, and that intrigued Chip. Paul wasn’t pretending life was easy. He was chained, facing possible execution, yet his focus was still on God and others.
Chip realized he needed to retrain his mind, to deliberately change his perspective.
“I basically went into training to renew my mind. I had to retrain my thinking to get perspective, and as I did, it revolutionized my life and my joy—even in the midst of great pain.”
This wasn’t about wishful thinking or ignoring hardship. It was about forming habits that would lead to joy.
The Joy Formula
