Everyone looks for happiness yet hardly anyone looks for joy. Why is that? They are not one in the same. Though both give us good feelings only one is eternal. I want to share the dictionary definition for the two and then explain the spiritual of the two.
Dictionary
Happiness: Delighted; pleased or glad over a particular thing. Indicated by the character of our mood.
Joy: The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying.
Spiritual
Happiness: Temporal emotion based on anything that pleases you for the moment. The expectation that another person or thing can cause one to be happy continually.
Joy: Eternal characteristic that comes from within when the fruit of the Spirit resides within an individual. Regardless of what trial we have to go through our joy remains full. We don’t look for a person; place or thing to create or cause our joy. We are joyful from the beginning because of the fruit of the Spirit.
For many years of my life I was unhappy; I searched for happiness in all the wrong people; places and things. I thought that if I would die that would finally bring me the happiness I was searching for. Not understanding that the happiness that I was experiencing was limited. Then I became a child of GOD and the scriptures logically made since to me and I tried to adhere to them; yet I was still unhappy. This went on for 24 years in my salvation in JESUS. Then deliverance came (Thank YOU GOD; JESUS and Holy Spirit)! Anger; Depression; Guilt; Oppression; Suicidal Tendencies and maybe more that even until this day I may not be aware of were taken away from me and replaced with The Fruit of The Spirit. Let me tell you it was recognizable in an instant. It has been 7 years now and I can truly say that I am living in victory in all areas of my life. This is why it has become so critical in my life to share my life and provide encouragement to the loss; to the saints who are not walking in victory; to the saints who are still struggling with issues. DO NOT give up just continue to sincerely desire GOD to reveal HIMSELF to you in a manner that you have heard so much about and read so much about. Believe me it will be the sincerity of your heart that will get HIS attention and HE will provide to you HIMSELF. Since 1994 I have always known that GOD was going to use me and how HE was going to use me. Though I began my training with The Holy Spirit and with men and women of GOD that HE directed me to and who were actually waiting on my arrival and began to mentor me. I still in some way could not understand how I would be effective when there were areas of my life that were not godly. Yet, I never gave up and I asked GOD to never allow me to preach about anything that I had not overcome. HE has remained faithful and now I teach and encourage in all areas because I am an overcomer.
YOU will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of YOUR presence and the pleasures of living with YOU forever. Psalm 16:11
In HIM our hearts rejoice, for we trust in HIS Holy name. Psalm 33:21
Those who look to HIM for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces…Taste and see that The LORD is good. The joys of those who take refuge in HIM! Psalm 34:5, 8
How joyful are those who fear The LORD; all who follow HIS ways! Psalm 128:1