We live in a world that screams for self satisfaction and pleasure. Often the motto you'll hear is "Work hard, play harder." We use our spare time to gratify the desires of our every whim all in the pursuit of happiness. I thought it would be interesting to hold this message up against the light of The Word, to see what God has to say about happiness. After all, He created us and Loves us, so what does He have to say about our personal contentment?
When you study it out, you'll discover there isn't a single verse in the Bible about our personal "happiness". However, there are 155 verses that speak of joy. Let's define both and then work to compare them.
Happiness: According to Merriam-Webster
1) obsolete : good fortune : prosperity
2) a: a state of well-being and contentment : joy
b: a pleasurable or satisfying experience
Joy: According to Merriam-Webster
1) a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight
b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety
2) a state of happiness or felicity: bliss
3) a source or cause of delight
After looking over the definitions, I think one could say that happiness is like having a nice cold cup of water on a hot day, but joy is having unlimited access to a fresh water spring that never stops flowing or filling up your cup. This is because joy is ALWAYS directly tied to God.
We will cover 5 points of Joy and passages that correspond.
1) Joy produces strong emotions. The Hebrew word Ranan is a use of joy which mean to shout aloud as seen in
Psa. 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
We can have joy knowing that God is our defender and we can trust Him.
2) Being in God's presence brings us Joy. God, our creator knows what is best for His children and wants to lead and guide you bringing fulness of joy. The use of joy in this passage is the Hebrew word Simchah which means exceeding gladness, pleasure.
Psa. 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
3) Joy is tied to our hope. When we look back at the definitions of joy, we can see that one is "the prospect of possessing what one desires." By understanding the hope that we have through Jesus Christ, our joy will increase and give glory to God our Father. In Romans 5:2, the Greek word for joy is Kauchaomai which translates to boast or glory in.
Rom. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom. 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
4) Joy is a gift from God and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
5) When we believe, our joy is full. The Greek word used here is Charis - graciousness, divine influence upon the heart, acceptance, favour. What a beautiful definition of the joy we have.
Rom. 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
We have a God of hope, who will fill us with joy and peace by believing and resting in the hope we have in store by the power of our helper, the Holy Spirit. Because of this, we see that joy is a constant attitude or state of being, a justified person has. Happiness is ever changing like the tide, yet by understanding our position as children of God, and the hope we have, we can abound in our joy, regardless of life's changing circumstances. May you be filled with more joy, peace, and hope as you set your mind on things above.
All His Joyful Blessings,
Kacy
