Joy vs. Happiness
I made a post on my Facebook today that stated “When we have JOY in ALL circumstances we have truly overcome and are rooted in God’s peace. Does it mean we’re happy about what we’re facing? No, but, if our foundation is joy, that we trust God is somehow working something out of what we’re facing, then we can grab a different perspective AND outlook. Psalm 126:5-6 tells us ‘Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!’ Trust God that what you can’t see through the blurriness of your tears are seeds of JOY waiting to break forth! #joy #god #trusttheprocess #coffeetalkwithlinda
In response to that post I received a text saying “I don’t understand the difference of joy and happiness?” As I began to answer that question it provoked me to dig a little deeper and this is what I came away with...
Joy is a foundation in the Lord that comes through the Lord, it is actually His joy functioning in us and as a result, His strength moving in and through us. Happiness is a human emotion. Happiness comes and goes based on life’s circumstances. Joy should remain regardless of life’s circumstances.
Of course the infamous scripture in James 1:2-4 “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be complete, lacking nothing” makes us all cringe. BUT, we have to “let” the work be done and if we do we will be in joy, the realm of joy is the realm of lacking nothing because we know God has all in His hand. AND, my favorite, Nehemiah 8:10 “The joy of the Lord is my strength” without joy we don’t have the strength to withstand all the fiery darts of the enemy. Those small hot darts he throws our way, those little irritations that we let rob us of both happiness and joy and rock our emotions just enough to impact our relationships and rob us of the fullness of our marriages, our families and our friendships.
The final scripture I want to reference is John 17:13 “But now I am coming to You, and in these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” Jesus is talking to God in this verse. Actually it’s part of a pretty long prayer right before Jesus is crucified. So when it says “My joy fulfilled” in this scripture He is basically saying, “My joy, it’s a different kind of joy than just happiness, happiness you experience as a momentary emotion. My joy will sustain you and keep you in your most trying circumstances.” We can have the biblical joy when Jesus is a priority in our life. If He is second, third, fifth, or even eighth option for us. The “when I have time for you in my day” choice then we do not walk in His joy and we are not strengthened in Him. So in one sense, it’s not only your choice to be grounded in joy but it’s also the choice of making Jesus a priority in your life. If He’s not at the top of your list then you won’t have a solid foundation of joy. If He’s the one that gets “when I have a chance or I’m busy now we can talk later God” that’s a setting aside, and you won’t have His joy in fullness. “When I get to you I get to you”, that’s a setting aside and there won’t be JOY in your hearts, in your homes and in your relationships. There may be momentary times of happiness but that will fade in and out, it won’t be a remaining JOY.
I choose JOY daily by choosing to make my relationship with Jesus a priority in my life! I challenge you to do the same, the sacrifice of making Jesus a priority is far outweighed by the benefit of a remaining JOY regardless of any circumstances (big or small) that will envitably cross our paths.
In response to that post I received a text saying “I don’t understand the difference of joy and happiness?” As I began to answer that question it provoked me to dig a little deeper and this is what I came away with...
Joy is a foundation in the Lord that comes through the Lord, it is actually His joy functioning in us and as a result, His strength moving in and through us. Happiness is a human emotion. Happiness comes and goes based on life’s circumstances. Joy should remain regardless of life’s circumstances.
Of course the infamous scripture in James 1:2-4 “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be complete, lacking nothing” makes us all cringe. BUT, we have to “let” the work be done and if we do we will be in joy, the realm of joy is the realm of lacking nothing because we know God has all in His hand. AND, my favorite, Nehemiah 8:10 “The joy of the Lord is my strength” without joy we don’t have the strength to withstand all the fiery darts of the enemy. Those small hot darts he throws our way, those little irritations that we let rob us of both happiness and joy and rock our emotions just enough to impact our relationships and rob us of the fullness of our marriages, our families and our friendships.
The final scripture I want to reference is John 17:13 “But now I am coming to You, and in these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” Jesus is talking to God in this verse. Actually it’s part of a pretty long prayer right before Jesus is crucified. So when it says “My joy fulfilled” in this scripture He is basically saying, “My joy, it’s a different kind of joy than just happiness, happiness you experience as a momentary emotion. My joy will sustain you and keep you in your most trying circumstances.” We can have the biblical joy when Jesus is a priority in our life. If He is second, third, fifth, or even eighth option for us. The “when I have time for you in my day” choice then we do not walk in His joy and we are not strengthened in Him. So in one sense, it’s not only your choice to be grounded in joy but it’s also the choice of making Jesus a priority in your life. If He’s not at the top of your list then you won’t have a solid foundation of joy. If He’s the one that gets “when I have a chance or I’m busy now we can talk later God” that’s a setting aside, and you won’t have His joy in fullness. “When I get to you I get to you”, that’s a setting aside and there won’t be JOY in your hearts, in your homes and in your relationships. There may be momentary times of happiness but that will fade in and out, it won’t be a remaining JOY.
I choose JOY daily by choosing to make my relationship with Jesus a priority in my life! I challenge you to do the same, the sacrifice of making Jesus a priority is far outweighed by the benefit of a remaining JOY regardless of any circumstances (big or small) that will envitably cross our paths.
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