The Pursuit of Happiness Joy:

   Two words that I hear misused more than most are joy and happiness. I have found that even if you seek answers from Webster's you still won't find much difference in the two, but oh how different they are.

I am not sure how this post will flow exactly, but if you are reading this is means I didn't absolutely hate it and decided to give it a shot and post  it. So, let's go.

   First, let me express what makes me so passionate about this topic. I have had this talk with my of my friends, likely a portion of those who actually read this. They know, in some detail, how I feel on this; after being approached with it twice last night it has been on my mind, so I thought maybe I could try this method.

The words:

  Happiness. I see happiness as good. It is indeed good, I think most people want to be happy, but happiness is like a feeling. What I mean by this is that is a description of your current state. For example, back in the days of Myspace you could attach faces with your status. They had a happy (and many others of course). Why? Because your status can be happy. It's how you feel now. Can we agree on this? Good.

  Joy. Oh joy. This is much different, at least for me, and I believe, all Christians. You see, joy is much more than a current state; it's a mindset, a lifestyle.

  If you still don't quite get what I'm raving over, don't worry, I have plenty more raving to do. So, feelings are a current state of being. They can, and will, change. Say you talk to someone and ask about their day at 0900 and they tell you they are happy. Great. But lets say during they day they spill coffee on themselves, get a speeding ticket during lunch, show up late returning from lunch, their child gets in trouble at school and they have a blow out on the way to the school (I don't envy the life of parents). If this said person truly meant that they were just happy as a current state (I dare not say a person can say happy without meaning joyful), because they had experienced a good morning, then, if you ask again after this kind of day they might not give quite as warm of an answer.

   Now, lets take another person, someone who is madly in love with Jesus and filled with His joy that I will talk more about in a bit. In a one year span of time he runs out of money for school, sees his parents divorce, loses two grandparents to cancer and gets laid of from his job (to those who know me this might sound familiar). One day you run into him and ask how he is and he might be transparent and tell you things have been hard, there have been some curve balls thrown his way, but I guarantee he will end his sentence with, "God is good though." This huge difference is because joy isn't JUST a current state. It's a condition of the heart. You might be thinking, this guy is crazy if he thinks people can just never be upset. Hold on now. I never said that. Because I am talking about two different things, they can, and do, exist  together. You can be sad and joyful at the same time. The sadness might have a good night, but it will not overcome true joy.

"For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5

Anger, like sadness are just emotions or feelings. Temporal.

My good friend, Paul, understood joys superiority over happiness too. Follow me for a moment.

"Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with fullcourage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again." 

Philippians 1:18b-26

 "Rejoice in the Lord always [pantote at all times, always, ever]; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace [eirēnē of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is] of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

In this passage Paul is comforting believers with the truth that joy is greater than the things of this world that make them anxious and worried.

You want more?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvationready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:3-9

Think you've done to much wrong to be blessed with the unstoppable joy of Christ? Listen to David after he had committed adultery.

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
     wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
     let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    and uphold me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:7-12

So, joy is more powerful, longer lasting, undefiled, unfading, imperishable, glorious, uncircumstantial. We can agree that it is indeed good, right? Just to be absolutely certain, joy only comes from God. If you aren't a Christian, you cannot be joyful the way we can. I don't mean to sound harsh, and I certainly do not wish unhappiness on you, but joy and Christ are inseparable.

 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17

I pray you see why I care about this so much.

I encourage you to ask God everyday to fill you with His joy. It grows everyday and wells up inside you until you overflow and others get to experience that joy, just by being around you. And if you live like that you will know the joy of doing this:

"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15

I love you all.