Christians have often wrestled with what separates joy from happiness. Can you have joy even when you’re not happy?
Sitting with a cup of coffee in the stillness of the morning makes me happy. I love a slow start to my day. I prefer to ease into it rather than rush through it. Reading my Bible and praying with the Lord brings me joy. He fills me up with His Spirit whenever I invite Him in.
The happiness from sipping hot, delicious coffee on a slow-moving morning is based on that moment and the gift of coffee. (Thank you, Lord. Amen)
The joy I received from spending time with the Lord was based on the Lord. It’s eternal. It’s lasting. It goes beyond that moment in time or the act of worship. Because those things aren’t what provided me joy. God gives me joy and it’s ongoing as long as He’s living in me.
Happiness and joy produce the same feelings of elation, delight, and satisfaction. The difference isn’t in the feeling; it’s in the source.
Joy is based in the eternal. Joy is Jesus. He is the source of joy. Joy originates from God and all things holy. It doesn’t just go away when our circumstances change because Jesus doesn’t just go away. His presence doesn’t leave when things get tough. However, we can push Him away or walk away.
Happiness is based in temporary things. Happiness is based in circumstances and serving self and satisfying temporary desires. Some things will make you happy for a moment, but they won’t last.
It explains why we overeat and overindulge in TV and social media. It makes us happy for a minute, but because it doesn’t last, we take in more to keep that happy feeling going. Before we know it, we feel sick, tired, and bloated from eating too much and overstimulated and discontent from watching too much screen time.
Similarly, we so often allow our circumstances to dictate our joy. It’s no surprise someone won’t be happy receiving a hard diagnosis or watching a loved one walk away from God. These are heavy circumstances. But when we allow them to steal our joy and even get upset with God, it’s an indicator of where we are placing our hope. It reveals what we are truly following. These are circumstances we have no control over except to get on our knees in prayer and draw closer to God.
The things of this world can never compete with the gifts of God. If we don’t seek Him and the joy He offers through the unseen and eternal gifts and by obeying His Word, we will never have lasting joy.
Friend, seek Him wholeheartedly today. You will never be truly happy unless God is the center of your world.
When we are fully satisfied in Him, He cultivates fullness of joy in our lives. He is our joy. If we can’t find it, it is likely because we’ve stepped outside His will, His wisdom, and His work in our lives.
