Happiness Is Not The Same As Joy

Happiness and joy are not the same. Happiness is a result, like cause and effect, when something or someone makes us feel happy. Happiness is a feeling—ever demanding, a moving target—so that today’s contentment can overnight become tomorrow’s complaint. 

Happiness is often defined by favorable facts: if the report is good, man is happy. But happiness cannot lead to security or well-being. Since human desire is never satisfied, happiness is more often an insecurity, an external experience that shifts and changes with external conditions. So, what is genuine happiness? 

Joy is the only foundation for happiness. Joy is produced from within. It is internal, created by conditions that powerfully impact, even command, conditions on the outside. In the Bible, joy is a fruit of the Spirit. That means that when the Holy Spirit controls your life, the fruit of joy produced in the heart is obvious. 

Happiness is fickle, but joy remains. 

Happiness happens to you; joy is produced in you. 

Happiness is fleeting, but the Spirit’s power naturally leads to grateful joy. 

Joy supports faith for truth. Joy makes the believer confident in God’s promises, that everything in His plan works together for good for those who love Him and trust His purpose and calling for them.

Amen.

Proverbs 27:20, NLT | Romans 8:28, NLT | Galatians 5:22, NLT | Verses@Once