Happiness, Joy... what’s the difference?

Why is it that so few Christians find joy in being Christian? It’s true, many believers are not finding joy in their Christian life. I believe that being a Christian is the only way to live, to find a measure of genuine happiness in this life. But experiencing genuine joy in life is more elusive than we think. Why?

Scripture shows the wonderful possibilities of Christian happiness. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:4-7, 10, 11-13).

Many people have the idea that Christianity is sober, somber, and even sad. Actually it is a joyous life experience, even when things don’t go so well in our lives. The above passage commands us to... Rejoice! Christianity and a life lived in Christ teaches us how to find true happiness and joy. It teaches us how to rejoice in all things encountered in our lives no matter the circumstances.

A dictionary definitions of happiness is... “A state of well-being, a pleasurable or satisfying experience.” The definition of the word “rejoice,” from which our word “joy” comes says this... “To feel great delight, to welcome or to be glad.” In other words, it means to be unusually happy, or to have a wonderful, buoyant feeling inside oneself. Happiness is temporary, caused by external things, while Joy appears to be internal, intrinsic and sustainable over the long haul of life. A life lived in Christ that is.

Depending on the translation, the Bible uses the words “happy” and “happiness” about 30 times, while “joy” and “rejoice” appear over 300 times. If we look at some verses it will help us understand why joy is different from happiness. We also will see that the two words... happiness and joy are not really interchangable.

Genesis 30:1-13 tells the story of two sisters, Rachel and Leah, and their rivalry over their husband, Jacob. Each woman tries to have more male children in order to please him, even using their handmaidens to conceive more offspring. Leah’s handmaiden, Zilpah, bore Jacob a second son and verse 13 says, “Then Leah said, ‘Happy am I! For women have called me happy.’ So she named him Asher.” Thus the word happy comes from the Hebrew root word ashar and means to set right or be blessed. We also find the word happiness in Deuteronomy 24:5 which says, “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.”

The word “joy” comes from the Greek root word “chara” and means to be exceedingly glad. James 1:2 says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials...” How could we ever consider going through difficulties and trials a reason to feel joy? James 1:3-4 gives us a clue when it says, “…knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Deep, abiding joy comes as we persevere through trials, with God’s help, and our faith matures and is strengthened. The Apostle Paul had joy in his life even though most of his life in Christ was filled with circumstances and experiences that wouldn’t be considered by any standards cause for happiness. Yet, even in the difficulties Paul endured, he was a real happy guy. He found happiness in being content with his circumstances. He had internal joy and outward expressions of happiness in knowing he was honoring God through his faithful obedience and perseverance. Happiness tends to be fleeting and depends upon temporal factors like our circumstances or other people.

Joy, on the other hand, is true contentment that comes from internal factors like our faith in the Lord. True joy is everlasting and not dependent upon our external circumstances. The book of Philippians is a great study in the difference between joy and happiness. Written by the Apostle Paul while imprisoned in Rome, he uses the words “joy,” “rejoice,” and “joyful” 16 times and teaches us how to have true contentment in Jesus Christ, despite our circumstances. In chains and aware that his life was coming to an end, Paul talks about his faith and trust in Christ and how it had changed his whole perspective on suffering. In Philippians 1:12-24 Paul says that because of his 2-year imprisonment (Acts 28:30), the whole Roman guard heard the gospel from him, and it had even spread throughout all of Rome. In verse 18 Paul says, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” Paul goes on to encourage others to have peace knowing that God strengthens us (Philippians 4:13) and “supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Wow! What can you say to any of his powerful expressions from a heart devoted to God and filled with joy in serving Him faithfully.

Know this... all we do for God is intentional... our choice. Our faith... our obedience... our service to others... our perseverance through life’s difficulties are all of our choosing. God rewards our passionate commitment to Him with an indescribable internal joy that is manifested externally, visibly, noticeable to others as a life in harmony with the Lord, characterized by contentment and happiness knowing we are being blessed and strengthened by Him.

So the Bible teaches that happiness is fleeting because it often depends on things outside of ourselves, but true joy is eternal because it is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ, which is itself an everlasting source of joy.

How can I experience joy in my Christian life?"
Periods of sadness and depression can enter the life of even the most devout Christian. There are many examples of this in the Bible. Job wished he had never been born (Job 3:11). David prayed to be taken away to a place where he would not have to deal with his harsh reality (Psalm 55:6-8). Elijah, even after defeating 450 prophets of Baal with fire called down from heaven (1 Kings 18:16-46), fled into the desert and asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:3-5).

So how can we overcome these periods of joylessness in our lives? Remember, our quest for joy is internal and a symbiotic relationship with God. We must be constantly connected to Him... “in step with the Holy Spirit”... (Galatians 5:25). God infuses us with joy when we’re living in the middle of His will. To stay in the middle of His will, connected to Him, requires a continuous process of renewal, reaffirmation and perseverance. It’s not easy.

People just like us... overcame their bouts of depression. Job said that, if we pray and remember our blessings, God will restore us to joy and righteousness (Job 33:26). David wrote that the study of God's Word can bring us joy (Psalm 19:8). David also realized that he needed to praise God even in the midst of despair (Psalm 42:5). In Elijah's case, God let him rest for a time and then sent a man, Elisha, to help him (1 Kings 19:19-21). We also need friends that we can share our hurts and pains with (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). It may be helpful to share our feelings with a fellow Christian. We may be surprised to find that the person you confide in has struggled with some of the same things that you are going through.

Most importantly, dwelling on ourselves, our problems, our hurts, and especially our pasts will never produce true spiritual joy. Joy is not found in materialism, it is not found in psychotherapy, and it most certainly is not found in obsession with ourselves. It is found only in Christ. We who belong to the Lord “glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). To know Christ is to come to have a true sense of ourselves, and true spiritual insight, making it impossible to glory in ourselves, in our wisdom, strength, riches, or goodness, but in Christ—in His wisdom and strength, in His riches and goodness, and in His person only. If we remain in Him, immerse ourselves in His Word, and seek to know Him more intimately, our “joy will be full” (John 15:1-11).

Finally, remember that it is only through God's Holy Spirit that we can find true joy (Psalm 51:11-12; Galatians 5:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:6). We can do nothing apart from the power of God (2 Corinthians 12:10, 13:4).

Indeed, that’s why so many Christians are miserable today. They are trying to be joyful through their own efforts. That will only lead to misery. Happiness in this life is built on the Joy the Lord infuses within us. Rest in the Lord's arms (Matthew 11:28-30) and seek His face through prayer and Scripture. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Are you living the right lifestyle to be truly Happy?

__________________________________________________

“How can a person find true happiness?” Well, I think that depends on the definition of what you believe “true happiness” is. Recently, I’ve had passing conversations with people who tell me they are really very happy. A few of these folks don’t manifest any indications of a relationship with God, so I am suspicious of the sources of their perceived happiness. Some I clearly know to be Christians, and yet I wonder about their relationship with God that they would think they are happy in this world. Maybe I’m am a “happy-resistant” person. Frankly, I’m not sure right now. More about my attitude later.

In last week’s article, I established that the pursuit of happiness is in fact the pursuit of God. Pursuit of a personal intimate relationship with God. Not casual... but an intensely passionate pursuit. Living according to His will and His expectations for your life.

Jesus had a radically different answer to that age old question... “how can I find true happiness.” In fact, nothing is more contrary to what common sense would suggest than Jesus’ answer to that question.

His straightforward answer came during his last meal with his disciples. Jesus knows that he is about to be betrayed, forsaken, arrested, unjustly condemned, beaten and killed. The room they are using for their last meal together has no household slave to wash their feet. There’s tension among Jesus’ disciples, who are consumed with which one of them is the greatest, so none of them is about to admit he is lesser than the other by doing what Jesus is about to show them.

What does Jesus say and do? He dons the garb of the household slave and washes their feet. After explaining that his action is a picture of his way of life, he says in John 13:17... "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." Blessed? You must be joking. Wash the feel of others and you will be “blessed”? The greek word for “blessed” (makarios) as used in this verse means “happy” or “fulfilled.” “These things” refers to Jesus’ action of washing their feet and his instruction that this is an example for them to follow. So what can we expect... remember happiness is the goal of humans? If you serve others in love, putting others and their needs first as a way of life, you will be truly happy. Not so easy to digest is it? The capacity to be kind, thoughtful, caring, loving, pleasant toward a fellow human is really very hard work.

Making others happy, to make ourselves happy is not the normal instinct for humans. You might be disagreeing with me right about now. That’s okay. But I want you to stop and look at the chaotic world around us and how we react to the tragedies that cause pain and suffering of people we don’t know. For the most part... casually... from a distance... by proxy... detached. Christians just can’t act that way and call themselves followers of Christ.

If you have accepted and committed your life to God, being immersed in Christ, then you have the power of the Holy Spirit. The living God dwells within you. You should have a clear understanding of God’s love, and what it means to love and care for others. Those two things are the foundation for a truly happy life. But it is by no means automatic and it doesn’t happen casually. If God is in you, then the world is not... it’s that simple. If He is in you, then you are “other directed”. It’s simple––you are either an instrument of God in His purposes, or you are not. With God... it's "all in" or nothing.

We know the world can often be cruel and unpredictable, as we’ve seen in the horrible earthquake that has devastated Haiti. Christians must react to help those suffering people. In times of high stress and tragedy, it’s easy to think that some almighty power is standing between you and what you’re trying to create for yourself. That’s probably not the case, its just your conscience needling you to do the right thing. Your happiness doesn’t come from the new big flat screen TV you’ve been saving months to buy or the new car you’ve had your eye on. It comes from helping others. God wants you to take up a share of responsibility for the pain and suffering of the Haitian people. If you’re a Christian, that’s part of your mission. (James 1:27)

Many Christians are miserable because they’re not getting the happiness from being Christian they thought God was going to provide! Jesus made it very clear, not to expect happiness as we typically think of it... in fact He said following Him would be disruptive to your life, causing divisions among family and friends. (Matthew 10:34-39; Luke 12: 49-53)

The key to happiness in this life –– is to build a lifestyle around the things of God. Put Him and His Kingdom first. Be ready when He needs you to respond to the pain and suffering of others. Don’t think about it, just be ready to do whatever is needed when it is needed. The happiness you seek will come in the form of internal joy and contentment from serving others in obedience to Him. That’s right, “obedience” to God brings true happiness, even though it may not look or feel anything like the happiness we envision for ourselves.

The world's concept of happiness is getting what we want. All merchandising is based on this idea. To really be happy, we need a flashier car, a sexier cologne, or any number of items that are better, faster or easier to use than what we already have. We watch the commercials, read the ads, and pursue all the latest fashions, fads and fancy doodads. Christians buy into this shallow lifestyle just like the non-christian world does. We all too often believe the lie that we're not really happy until we get what we want.

God's concept of happiness is summed up in the simple proverb: "Happy is the man who wants what he has." As long as you are focusing on what you don't have, you'll be unhappy. But when you begin to appreciate what you already have, you'll begin to experience the joys of life. Paul wrote to Timothy: "Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV).

Actually, we already have everything we need to live a joyful life. You have Christ. You have the promise of eternal life. You are loved by a heavenly Father who has promised to supply all your needs. No wonder the Bible repeatedly admonishes us to be thankful for what we have (1 Thessalonians 5:18). If you really want to be happy, learn to be thankful for what you have and not covet what you don't have.

The Christian lifestyle revolves around two ongoing priorities: First... loving God with everything you have, your whole heart... nothing held back, nothing in reserve. You are “all in”. Second... loving others, serving others, responding to their needs no matter how large the challenge or daunting the task. Do it without being urged, prodded, cajoled or begged. Seek out the opportunities to “wash the feet” of others. (John 13:34-35)

You have to decide to wholeheartedly embrace this way of life if you want to reap the benefit of true happiness. It’s God’s way... not your way. If you just dabble around the edges of your commitment to Christ and insist on an immediate return, you’ll soon become disenchanted and give up altogether. You have to decide... “I am going to bank my life on this proposition”—and then stick with it.

I make no claim to live this way perfectly—but I have sold out to it and I do practice it as my way of life. Am I happy? Not all the time... but I am filled with joy. I have taken the time to understand what God is doing in the world today and how I fit into His grand plan. Therefore, I am a contented person, satisfied with what I have. And I can tell you that I am a blessed man because of it!

The Pursuit of Happiness... IS the pursuit of God.

All of us have a deep seated longing to experience a state of happiness, peace and serenity in our lives – whether we are consciously aware of it or not.

When fulfilled, this deep emotional need allows us to experience simple pleasures without the “wants” for material possessions or financial gains. We call it happiness. We pursue happiness passionately throughout our lives. What do you think of when you think about happiness? What makes you happy?

Happiness is the situation of well-being or feeling of general prosperity of an individual. It encompasses the circumstances of life and the sum of our relationships. You could characterize happiness as our summary response to the totality of our life experience. Happiness can run the gamut from tranquillity to intense ecstasy. The term often used in Scripture to describe happiness is "blessedness." Blessedness relates happiness to God and His Plan of grace.

People have some very interesting views of what makes them happy. Here are a few actual responses from people who responded to an online survey wherein they were asked to define the meaning of Happiness....

I define happiness as ... having more than enough in each area of life--more than enough faith, more than enough relationships, more than enough physical, emotional and mental resources.

I define happiness as ... being at peace with oneself and the world. It happens when your mind (intent), body (action)and spirit(conscience) vibrate in unison. A rare occurrence when you leave it to chance but can happen all the time if you consciously seek it.

Happiness to me... is seeing the smiles on my children's faces and knowing that I am the one who put them there.

I define happiness as ... having the courage and responsibility to be a role model for my daughter to create her own destiny and not rely upon anyone for her happiness. Everyone is worthy of such a gift.

I define happiness as ... sitting quietly on my front porch, watching a rainstorm dance by, observing all of nature joyously celebrating it's abundance.

I define happiness as ... that sense of warmth that begins at the core of the soul, spreads to the heart, and radiates outward from the eyes and lips of those who know it. The gift of happiness is elusive, but tangible. You cannot seek to find that which makes you happy for happiness comes from within and by your own choice.

I define happiness as ... Our glow from within... Shinning out toward luminous beauty that sings... Joy of the Lord!!!

The word and thought of “happiness” invokes many varied emotional expressions in people. One can clearly see how happiness is connected to one’s life circumstances and expectations. We also know that happiness is elusive for many of us. Life comes at us fast... with a bunch of stuff that can really dampen our pursuit of “happiness”.

To fully comprehend the concept of happiness in our lives, we must understand the happiness of God. God's happiness is unique in the sense that God's happiness is absolute, perfect and unlimited. And as God is eternal, so is His happiness. God's happiness never ends and has never been diminished in the least by circumstances and cannot be changed. Even the sin of mankind has not diminished the happiness of our God.

God determined in the beginning to share His happiness with mankind and even though sin entered the world, He provided a way for true happiness through His provision of something we know as grace. God's instrument of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ... thus the foundation for true happiness begins at the point of belief in Christ.

Belief is the beginning point of happiness. The more a believer knows about God and Christ, the greater the believer's capacity for happiness becomes. It is through spiritual growth that a believer's happiness becomes like the happiness of God... without limit, without dependence on circumstances, or events, or people, or any external influence. As John 13:17 declares that once spiritual maturity is attained, the believer shares God's perfect happiness, "Now that you know these things (God's Word), you will be blessed (intense happiness) if you do them."

God is all about sharing. One of His prime expectations for us is to share Him with others. Sharing God's perfect happiness should be, must be, the prime directive of every believer. Accordingly, Paul in Philippians 4:4 boldly says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" And 1 Peter 1:8 says... "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."

Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and the power of the Cross with others, with passion, is the key to our personal happiness. Nothing else in this life... nothing... can produce the internal feelings of genuine happiness like knowing we are speaking out for God and His purpose to humanity.

Once the believer shares the perfect happiness of God, the believer's happiness cannot be diminished by circumstances, things, or people. The often persecuted, harassed and imprisoned Paul admonished true believers in Philippians 4:11,12... "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Nothing could change Paul’s happiness, contentment and joy, because everything about his life was grounded and anchored in a deep love of God and His purpose. When Paul felt oppressed... he preached the Word boldly. He passionately proclaimed Christ throughout his life to the point of death... all the while experiencing true happiness and contentment in spite of the austere circumstances he experienced.

Ultimately, the truly happy person, the believer who shares the perfect happiness of God, radiates happiness. It is infectious to all around such a person. Such a person is a “ministry of refreshment” to believers and unbelievers. In Philemon 7, the Paul spoke of such an extraordinary man, Philemon himself.... "For I have come to have much happiness and encouragement by your love (for Christ) because the tender affections of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother."

Finding happiness today is very hard to do... if you are depending on the things of this world to make you happy. You only have one course of action to find true happiness in this imperfect world... Love God. Love His purpose. Love humanity. Everything else will be added to you... if you do that.

Be JOYFUL and THANKFUL in ALL THINGS.

As a new year begins...
"Be joyful always; pray continually; GIVE THANKS in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thess 5:16-18

The 2009 Christmas season of remembrance and celebration is past. Forevermore it takes its place in the history books of humanity along side all the remembrances of the birth of Jesus. The regalia of the season of the Christ is being boxed up, stored away to wait quietly until next November when the spirit of the season will emerge once again. However, there is one thing that should not be boxed up and stored away... that is our joy and thankfulness. Being thankful to God is our key to life.

As 2010 begins, we should consider what it means to really be thankful each and everyday no matter the circumstances. Being thankful to God comes easily when things are going well. Life is good, no problems.   Maybe you got the job promotion you’ve been hoping for... an unexpected bonus is handed out just before the holidays... the medical tests come back okay... your kids are behaving too well and you and your wife are getting along better than ever before. "Thank you, Lord!" you exclaim from a seemingly grateful heart.

But what about the other times in life when things don't turn out the way you have been hoping? You didn’t get the promotion... in fact you’re begining to feel unwanted by your boss... the doctor says you have to make radical changes to your diet and lifestyle or face life threatening consequences... you don't know how you're going to pay this month's bills since your wife lost her job... the wall between you and your spouse grows wider and the kids are out of control. What now? Giving thanks may not be the first response of your heart and mind.

God doesn’t like problems caused by a sin-filled chaotic world anymore than we do. But He uses the circumstances of these problems to help us become more Christ-like. In fact, He depends more on our circumstances to make us like Jesus than He depends on our reading the Bible. The reason is obvious...  we face circumstances twenty-four hours a day.. and while not all problems are big, all are significant and useful in God's growth process for us.

Our problems are one of God's most effective tools for showing us the illusions of self-sufficiency and self-reliance. When things are going well, we are deceived into believing that we can handle life on our own. But when we find ourselves in a dark, difficult place we realize the truth... we are totally dependent on God.

The Apostle Paul discovered that God is trustworthy and faithful when we are "forced" to trust him in the midst of difficulties:  "We felt like we'd been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally-not a bad idea since he's the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he'll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing" (2 Cor. 1:9 - from The Message Bible).

Nothing that happens to you is a surprise to God. His purpose is to use your challenges, pain and difficult circumstances to mold you, shape you, prune you and mature you into becoming more like Jesus. He is transforming you into becoming the person He knows you can be, so you will be ready and able to do the things in this world that He has called you to do!

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to offer thanks to God in everything-not for everything. God does not ask us to thank Him for unemployment or life-threatening illnesses or any of the many dark things that may come our way. So what does He want from you? He wants you to thank Him for who He is and for all He freely gives to you out of His love, grace and mercy.

In the midst of any difficulty, we can thank God for things such as knowing that He is present with us and will not leave us (Matthew 28:20); that He knows our every need (Matthew 6:8); that nothing is more powerful than His love for us (Romans 8:39); and that He is "behind the scenes" working in all things for our good (Romans 8:28).

We are not alone. The Sovereign Lord of the Universe, our Father cares for us more than we can hope or imagine. When you give thanks to Him despite your circumstances, He will empower you to experience power, transformation and the peace that "transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).

God understands that giving thanks in the midst of fear-provoking circumstances or heartbreaking events does not come naturally to us. Hebrews 13:15 refers to offering to God a continual "sacrifice of praise."  A sacrifice is giving up something valuable in exchange for something that is considered more valuable.

Giving thanks in spite of your circumstances is sacrificing your natural responses of fear, anger and worry and choosing instead to offer praise for God's presence in your problems. And what will you gain? Often, very practical provision from the God who sees your needs... the ability to persevere. But even more than that, in God's timing, you will experience the reality of God's supernatural power in your life, equipping you to live the life to which He has called all Christians... a life of worshipful commitment, submission and obedience. As Paul said, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" (2 Cor. 4:17, LB).

Begin 2010, thankful and joyful in the knowledge that you are loved by God. Be renewed and strengthened in knowing that He is not far off from each one of us as we experience life’s challenges.

Seek renewal in your personal relationship with God as this new year begins. Take refuge in His love and grace.