Joy vs. Happiness

If someone were to ask you to describe the difference between joy and happiness what would you say? I think majority of us would probably say that they are essentially the same thing. To be happy is to be joyful right? The world has seemed to mesh those two words together as one but the thing is that is not what the bible tells us.

I was quite saddened when I looked up the Webster definition of joy, “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune by the prospect of possessing what one desires", “The state of happiness or bliss.” I don’t know about you but to me that sounds very fleeting, it makes joy appear as something that is dictated by our success. I work a sales job and if any of you have been in that industry you will understand that it can be a financial roller coaster. If I was to base my joy on whether or not I was having a successful month I can tell you 100% that I would be a very different person. As we read in Galatians Chapter 5 joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which means when He (God) is a part of our lives joy should be rooted deep within us. It is not based on circumstances or what is happening in the moment and isn’t that such a wonderful thing!?

“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Now what I want to make clear is joy is a permanent possession while happiness is temporary and what I am not saying in this post is that we as believers should appear happy and wonderful all the time. I grew up in a church where everyone put on the smile Sunday morning and no matter how you were truly feeling you responded to everyone’s “how are you” by saying “I’m just great!” This isn’t how it should be, how can we encourage and support each other if we are not honest? Sometimes we have rough weeks that are full of challenges and disappointments and it is okay to feel tired and sad. When we look at the gospels there is no doubt at all that Jesus was real with people! He said that we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. But the beauty of joy and what separates it from happiness is that it can’t be influenced by what is going on around us in the world.

We may not always feel happy but we should always be joyful because we are children of the Creator! That is something that can never be taken away from us. It is a gift that I praise my Father for every day.