Happiness or Joy?
“22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
I am working on a Joy Workshop for the National Women’s Leadership Retreat in June 2024. A group of ladies is traveling to Pueblo, Mexico to help Debbie and Keith Myers put this on for the women they minister to in the region. I thought I would share with you some of what I will be sharing with the wonderful ladies this summer.
Did you know there is a difference between happiness and joy? Very often, people think that happiness and joy are the same thing. But for Christians, there is a big difference. When we look at how God defines joy, we see something much more powerful than happiness. The only way we can have true Joy is through Jesus Christ.
Joy is very similar to being glad or happy which may be causing some confusion. Happiness is a temporary feeling that is created as a result of something good going on around us. For example, watching your children or grandchildren playing and having fun probably makes you happy. Right? It makes me very happy to see my granddaughters playing together, too.
Joy on the other hand is a deeper spiritual state of being… it is a choice we make in how we will live our life and how we will handle what is happening in our life. Joy is not based on what is going on around us or what we are experiencing here on earth. It is based on our relationship with Jesus, and it is permanent. We can be going through something that is very hard that makes us very unhappy. But as a Christian, we can still have joy. It is very powerful gift from God that can help us get through the hard times as well as enjoy the life we are given.
Just remember…. Happiness is a reaction that just happens when we are in positive and uplifting situations. It brings a smile to our face. Happiness is based on your circumstances. The better things are going, the happier you may be. And anyone can be happy when things is going well.
Joy is a choice in how you want to live your life. It brings a smile to our soul. Joy is never based on what is going on around us, but on our connection with Jesus. In good times and in bad times, we can have joy. True joy can only be experienced by someone who has a relationship with Jesus. Jesus even said that no one can take away our joy. Think about that for a moment…. what a precious gift. Let’s wrap up with a message from Jesus’ brother, James….
“2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ”
