Is there a difference between joy and happiness?

Yes, yes, and yes! Joy is such a little word, but it explodes with a profound meaning.

Depending on your translation, the Bible uses joy (or rejoice) over 300 times. …Happiness (or happy) is only used about 30 times. …There has to be a distinction between them, but what is it?

What is Happiness?…I think we all can kind of agree on what happiness means. We all have different things that make us happy, based on our various personality or life situations. …It makes one incredibly happy to drive to the end of your side street to find that there is no traffic in the morning knowing that you will be on time for an appointment. …It’s a tiny thing, but it makes you happy. …Of course, about sixty seconds later, You'll not be thinking of it any more, now you may be wondering if you remembered to take your cell phone. …Happiness, though nice, is a fleeting thing and really dependent on external forces.

Let's see what Scripture says about being happy:…“Behold how happy is the man whom God reproves. So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” Job 5:17…Psalm 128:2…2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labour. How happy and prosperous you will be!…Proverbs 14:21…21 It is a sin to belittle one's neighbor blessed (happy) are those who help the poor.

Some translations have changed the Word Happy to Joyfull

See how each example is dependent on something? …Happiness is almost always an if/then statement. If _x_ happens, then happiness happens. …If I don't have any problems ,then he will be happy. …If you are gracious to the poor, then you will be happy. …If there is no traffic, then I will be happy.

I’m not trying to say that happiness is bad. Quite the opposite! Happiness is a gift from God, and a very good thing. But happiness doesn’t last forever.

What is Joy?…Joy comes from the Greek word chara, and it means “to be exceedingly glad.”

Take this example from James 1:2-4: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”

Joy comes from a solid factor, an unshakeable fact: your faith in the Lord.

True joy burns within you and is not dependant on external circumstances. …Let's look at

Philippians 1:12-24 .12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard,[] knows that I am in chains because of Christ.14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers[c] here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message[d] without fear.

15 It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives.16 They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

Paul's Life for Christ

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honour to Christ, whether I live or die.21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.23 I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

Did you notice? “What then? Philippians 1:1818 But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.joice. Yes, and I will rejoice.”

Paul wrote these words while he was in jail and knew his life was nearing the end. Yet he still had joy; his foundation was in his Saviour, and through his suffering the gospel spread throughout all of Rome. This was no fleeting happy feeling; it was assurance in God’s power to use his life for His glory.

“What if I’m saved, but I don’t feel joyful?”…Maybe you’re asking the above question right now as I read this. You have a relationship with Christ, you know your Saviour has saved you and loves you, but you don’t feel joy. Don’t worry. …We all get like that sometimes. …This does not mean you are not saved or a “bad Christian”. I want to quote two more verses for you:…Philippians 4:13…“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”…Philippians 4:19…19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Life is hard, and some days it is harder to hold onto that feeling of joy. But guess what? Joy is not based on feeling; it is based on knowing. …On those days when everything just feels bleak, remember and know that:…Your Saviour loves you and loved you enough to die for you, …He will never expect from you to endure more than what you are capable of handling. …1 Corinthians 10:13…13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Happiness, although a wonderful gift from God, will always be dependent on forces outside of ourselves. …Joyon the other hand is a deep security based on our knowledge that …God loves us, …He will take care of usand …He saved us through Christ …Ephesians 1:13-14…13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own[a] by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.14 The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.…

Example of everything going wrong one morning abut you should not feel like His child You know it and that brigs joy