Discovering Joy When Life Feels Empty with Isaac Serrano
IVP
In seasons when life feels meaningless, how can we perceive purpose, hope, and even joy?
Amid our deeply materialistic culture, the purpose of life can seem to simply be the elimination of pain and inconvenience. Yet the answer to our deepest aches lies in the joy of serving others, the wisdom of our ancestors, and the worthiness of Jesus.
Show More
In this episode of The Digital Examen, host Jay Y. Kim sits down with Isaac Serrano, lead pastor at South Valley Community Church in Gilroy, California, and author of When Life Feels Empty. He also serves on the leadership team of the ReGeneration Project and is an adjunct professor teaching theology and ministry at Western Seminary. Together, Kim and Serrano draw from ancient Christian wisdom and their experiences as pastors in Silicon Valley to discuss how discerning our telos, embracing connection with others, and locating ourselves in God’s story are essential to experiencing joy in our digital age. Serrano shares why the antidote to pain and suffering isn’t positive thinking or attempting to escape pain, but embracing endurance, selflessness, and age-old practices like communal singing, thanksgiving, and prayer.
If you long to experience tangible meaning in your everyday, this episode offers hope, clarity, and practical next steps toward a life filled with purpose and deep joy.
This episode highlights the following themes:
✅ The search for meaning in an age of emptiness
✅ How timeless practices can help us recalibrate our lives toward joy, meaning, and connection with God and others
✅ Endurance and faith in the midst of suffering
Links from this episode:
✅ Learn more about Isaac Serrano (https://www.ivpress.com/isaac-serrano?utm_source=ivpod25&utm_medium=ivp_de)
✅ Read Isaac Serrano’s book, When Life Feels Empty (https://www.ivpress.com/when-life-feels-empty?utm_source=ivpod25&utm_medium=ivp_de)
✅ Read the transcript here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FL0lPx-vHNArc-H3qO0Y1V1PHLOjBOiS/view?usp=drive_link)
Slowing
