Your Choice - Joy or Happiness???
We all want to be happy, for many of us it is but a fleeting emotion at the peak of the rollercoaster that is life. Happiness is solely based on our circumstances, and when you look at it closely - is just a chemical reaction that triggers certain emotions and physical reactions within our body. If we experience something that we enjoy or is special to us, then our happiness increases. When we experience something that is saddening, or causes us pain and turmoil, then our happiness decrease dramatically. Happiness is not a constantly stable emotion.
Happiness is not ever promised in the Bible, yet it is experienced in the Bible because it is a normal human emotion.
(artwork by Schism)
Joy on the other hand is promised to us many times in the Bible. And the Bible is very clear that God is the only true source of Joy. In several scriptures it is directly linked to both the Holy Spirit and Jesus.
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Joy should be an evidence of the existence and action of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
If we do not have ‘Joy’, then perhaps we aren’t operating fully in the Holy Spirit, nor are we allowing HIM to be a truly guiding force in our lives.
If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, and we follow HIS instructions then even though we may be in difficult situations, we should still be joyful. Because the source of the joy is not our circumstances, or even our ability to overcome difficulty, but rather from the Holy Spirit and obedience to HIS guidance.
Romans 14:17 “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
It is very easy for us to get stuck in the culture and lifestyles we live in. It’s easy to understand why…it is because we are always engaging with them. We strive to live a particular lifestyle, so we work in jobs that provide us with the income to do that. We also have dual income families which impacts on the cohesion, and stability of the family unit. All so that we can live the lifestyle we want to…But in all seriousness - how often does that actually bring joy to our lives. We work hard, end up exhausted, and have limited time with our families and friends, then when we actually get the time to experience the lifestyle we have worked decades to achieve - we are usually too old, or too ill, or too worn out to actually enjoy it. The whole exercise becomes meaningless, and we have no joy in it.
The things of the Kingdom of God, however, bring real joy. The joy of helping a person in need, the joy of sharing the gospel with someone, the joy of being a blessing and sharing God’s love and mercy to those who need it.
In order to engage with the Kingdom of God, we need to listen to and utilise the Holy Spirit in our lives - especially our everyday lives. Obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit will bring joy, because we will see the fruits of our actions. We will see the lives of others changed because we have done that which the Holy Spirit has guided us to do.
It is in that way we are living a life of peace and goodness.
Philippians 4:4 “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
Our joy is in the Lord (Jesus, Yahweh).
Joy…true joy (not happiness) is divine, because its source is divine. Because of this we can see an aspect of God’s character and nature. God is joy. It is at the very core of HIS character and nature.
Why??? Because God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is the foundation of who God is, and so if we are to experience God’s love for us (through HIS forgiveness, mercy and grace) - then we too should experience HIS joy.
Nehemiah 8:10 “And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
This scripture been taken out of context a whole lot - with the whole happy-clappy Christian vibe. There was even a song back in the 80/90’s where there was feigned laughing in a worship song about joy.
That has nothing to do with the context of the scripture or the intent of the original passage. The scripture is in context with the prophet Nehemiah who is leading the rebuilding of the Walls of Jerusalem, and the Temple after the exile.
He calls for a renewal of worship and of a sacred relationship with Yahweh.
It is in that space that Nehemiah is saying “Yeah everything is still in ruins and we need to rebuild it all - but Yahweh is with us, and is our strength, because our joy is found in HIM, and HIM alone, not our circumstances”
He is saying that the source of our strength actually comes from the joy we can receive straight from God - because it is the ‘Joy of the Lord’.
This actually has nothing to do with happiness, but rather being in the midst of great trial, and seeing that God is above all things, and that we can rely on HIS joy to strengthen our hearts.
Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
So, how can we bring joy to the lives of others?
It’s actually remarkably easy. Just do what Isaiah was prophesying about the coming Messiah (Jesus).
We need to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to those around us - in word and by our actions.
If we tell them of the Jesus’ sacrifice for them, how much he loves them and wants to heal their spiritual, emotional and physical wounds - then if they choose to believe in Jesus then they too shall receive HIS joy.
When should enjoy the times that we are happy. Some of those times are special. But if we solely rely on living happy times, to get us through life - one happy moment to another. All that does is set us up for a very hard fall, and a free ticket on an emotional rollercoaster while we go through the tough times.
However, when we fully rely on God’s mercy and grace to be present in our times of need and struggle, and we stay connected to HIM during those times. HIS loving joy will be passed on to us, and even in the midst of great trials. That is the difference between divinely created and given joy, over the momentary high of a chemically induced emotion that is only fleetingly felt.
I pray that you are able to engage with and utilise the “Joy of the Lord” in your life. I pray that despite whatever you are going through, whatever your friends and family are going through…and certainly mo matter how crazy it gets out in the wide world - God loves you, and he is the only source of real, lasting joy. May HIS blessings be upon you.