Is there a difference between joy and happiness?

“There is within my being joy no one can violate, unfettered, tranquil and unmarred, immune from pain and suffering.”

Happiness is an emotion, an emotional state that God never intended people to be in all the time.  There is “a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).   Biblical joy – true joy is an intimate relationship with Jesus.  Jesus put it this way: “I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit,” (John 15:5).  That fruit includes joy.  The Bible speaks more often of joy than of being happy. 

Happiness is a glad emotional feeling that depends on something good happening in our circumstances.  Happiness is a result of something that is outside us.  We can be extremely happy and then the phone rings and we get a call that can dash all our happiness and fill us with sadness.  Also being happy is something that all people can enjoy.  It isn’t dependent on being a Christian.  I know people who are unbelievers that are happy.  Job in the Book of Job states that even evil people can be happy.  The only difference in non-believers and Christians is when trouble does come and it will their happiness ends and they have no joy to see them through.   

God wants us to experience happiness, but His greater desire is that we have unconditional joy.  Joy comes from within and does not depend on outside forces therefore giving us control over it.  Jesus said His joy would “remain in you” and “your joy no one will take from you,” (John 15:11; 16:22).  The evidence of joy is gratitude, contentment, optimism, a sense of freedom and other positive attitudes.

Biblical Joy is not natural to us.  It is in fact supernatural (spiritual), and it is a gift from the Holy Spirit.  It is something only Christians can experience.  Joy is the response of believers to the understanding of God’s love for them.  And, we only know that God loves us by the Holy Spirit.  Joy is our response to God for all He has done for us.

Both our joy and happiness is increased more by our giving and serving than from our getting. The apostle Paul reminded us that Jesus Christ taught: “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35). 

To grow in joy, we must resist not only self-pity, but also being self-centered and self-absorbed.  For joy to flourish, we must focus on loving others and especially on loving God.  Joy is largely composed of gratitude – gratitude for the wonderful things God has done for us.  Gratitude produces joy (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

Try to follow this Biblical formula: Add to your life gratitude, humility, forgiveness, faith, hope, patience and love. Take away resentment, anger, fear, worry, materialism, greed, jealousy, complaining and pride. The result is Joy!

Joy is a major topic in the Bible.  In the King James Version of the Bible joy appears 158 times.  Rejoice is the verb form of joy, meaning to feel or have joy.  Joy is not optional. The Bible repeatedly commands us to rejoice (be joyful)! The most emphatic exhortation is in Philippians 4:4, where Paul says, “Rejoice (be joyful) in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice (be joyful)!”

God’s joy continues to flow through His people even during their suffering.  The joy that the Lord gives us enables us to cope with life’s trials.  It gives us hope, and enables us to become overcomers instead of victims.  Paul wrote, “We also rejoice (have joy) in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance,” (James 1:2). 

Jesus prayed for His followers, “…that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves,” (John 17:13).  He also teaches us to pray for joy.  As He tells us in John 16:24, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full!” 

Even when things are bad our strength comes from the joy of the Lord.  Joy is with the faithful believer at all time, both good and bad.  Happiness comes and goes depending on our circumstances.  Happiness is on the outside.  Joy is character and is on the inside. Happiness only meets our surface needs, but joy meets our deepest needs.  Happiness evaporates in a crisis.  Joy often intensifies in a crisis.

Joy empowers a person to be loving, kind, gentle, and self-controlled, consistently denying our selfish tendencies.  If we put Jesus first in our lives joy is a natural by product which empowers us to really love others and love ourselves.

Remember:  No one can steal our joy.  We must give our joy away.  Happiness can be stolen from us in a split second, without our having any control over it.  Happiness is external and joy is internal.  Happiness usually comes from others.  Joy comes from the Holy Spirit.  Happiness depends on our circumstances.  Joy is not affected by our circumstances.  Happiness can and usually is temporary.  Joy is permanent.  Only believers can experience Biblical joy.  Anyone can experience happiness. 

I have seen people living in extreme poverty and they are smiling and appear happy.  I would ask myself how they possibly could be happy.  Is it happiness or joy they are expressing?  I have come to believe it is joy - joy given to them by the Holy Spirit that brings them hope, regardless of their circumstances.