Personal notes shared by Kevin Reynolds following a recent bible study on Joy.
Joy comes from knowing and trusting God. Happiness comes as a result of pleasant circumstances. Joy is steady and lasting; whereas, happiness is temporary and unpredictable. Happiness will always be dependent on forces outside of ourselves. On the other hand, joy is a deep security based on our knowledge that God loves us, will take care of us, and has saved us through Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). True joy does not depend on circumstances, but on God’s protection and provisions. There is no joy that endures pain and suffering and persecution like the joy of the Christian, whose hope and joy are in the Lord, and not in our own circumstances.
- Joy is fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
- To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with joy (Acts 13:52; Romans 14:17, 15:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:6).
- The fullness of joy is in the presence of God (Psalm 16:11; John 15:11).
- His salvation produces joy on earth and in heaven (Psalm 51:12; Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10).
Only God can fully satisfy our souls. It’s only through Him that we can experience this true joy. We can possess all the prosperity and happiness the world has to offer, but without a relationship with God we are left spiritually poor trying to fill a void that only be satisfied through the confidence and joy of trusting in Him. While we may find happiness temporarily in the material things of this earthly life, we can only experience eternal peace and lasting joy in knowing Christ and placing our faith in God’s Word. Let us seek joy in God and in serving and worshiping Him.
As God’s children, we need to be in tune with the heart and character of God. It is only then that this joy can be exemplified through us. When happiness fades, rest assured that joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). The joy of the Lord is our strength. Let us look beyond our circumstances into eternity and finish our course with joy (Acts 20:24)!
Good thoughts Kevin! Joy is a wonderful thing!
Truly awesome
Agree we can possess all the prosperity and happiness the world has to offer, but without a relationship with God we are left spiritually poor trying to fill a void that only be satisfied through the confidence and joy of trusting in Him.
Thanks for sharing !
I loved this article, happiness vs. joy. The only way to get that relationship with God is by getting to know Him. How do we do that? Open you bible and start reading and don’t stop until you get back to the beginning of where you started. Then do it again. Preachers are an added bonus to get points across. But as my daddy always said “even though I’m a preacher, I’m human. I could be wrong, go read it for yourself”! Joy, joy in my heart!!