SEARCHING, FINDING, AND KEEPING JOY
Welcome to Monday With a Mission
Joy vs Happiness…
Happiness is an emotion. Usually short lived. Many times because of an earthly pleasure.
Joy is rooted in our heart because of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Recently during my morning prayer time, I was challenged by the Holy Spirit to take a look at my joy vs happiness heart.
When I am going through a trial, a hard time, a crying, question asking time, do I feel happiness?
No, but when I thought about searching for joy during those times I had questions.
Is it ok to have anger, frustration, sadness but still claim we are rooted in joy through our faith in Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 4:26 says, “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
We will probably, at one time, feel the emotion of anger, along with frustration, and sadness. But to recognize our emotions and separate them from our actions is an important part of understanding this command.
Those feelings are natural and are not a sin in themselves, but it is how we react to them that can be a sin.
One way to keep our emotions and feelings under control is to read God’s Word.
When He says, as He does in Ephesians, don’t go to bed angry, God is giving us good instruction on how to handle those emotions.
Settle the issues with those who are involved, or with yourself.
Accept the time of trials as a lesson, that, because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we can continually have joy.
It is like God gives us little love notes, ones that remind us that even as we go through these trials.
He is always there, waiting for us to call on Him.
I found through my reflection on joy vs happiness that when I accepted Christ as my Savior the gift of the Holy Spirit lives in me along with the joy that comes from my faith and love for God.
So, no matter what trial comes up that makes emotions rise in my heart I know I can go to Him.
I can put the emotion in it’s place and decide the love God has for me is stronger than my ability to control any situation.
Happiness will come and go and I will enjoy every second of it.
But. Happiness can be like this beach ball, smiling on the outside, floating around, and could easily be punctured.
But JOY! It is smiling on the inside, your heart is smiling, joy is a warm feeling that can defrost the coldest heart, and will always be there when you have Christ.
As I pondered over this time of reflection during my prayer time, I was going through a trial of sorts.
Sadness, frustration and questions were abounding. But I was able to put them where they needed to be and allow the joy of Christ to lead me through the day.
I could brush off the dirt of trouble and leave it outside where it belonged. Then I could pick it up when I needed to, but handle it with care so it would not seep in where it didn’t need to be.
Romans 8:35-38 says
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thank You, Jesus for leading me, for helping to understand how the joy in my heart because of my faith in You is what I need to get me through the days and times of trials. In Jesus name. Amen
The Conversation
Thanks for the reminder to always have joy in my hear!!
Thank you for reading and commenting!
This was excellent describing the difference between joy and happy!
Having the joy off Christ will carry us through our trials of life!,,
Thank you!
This goes right along with the sermon from Gary Jones on Sunday. He talked about Joy- and having joy. Psalm 32 and his 3 points were: Joy comes from being forgiven; Joy comes from walking in fellowship with God (and he referenced Ps 51:12- Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation); and Joy comes from having a future Hope. I need to remember where my JOY comes from- Jesus! Thanks so much Bobbie, I love your Monday with a Mission.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
I love the “happiness as beach ball” analogy, Bobbie. Thank you for this thoughtful post!