HAPPINESS OR JOY?

Her name was Mary, and like our Lord’s mother, she was an amazing woman. Mary was in her eighties, never having married. Living with the devastating effects of Lyme’s disease, she was house-bound. Every joint in her body ached, and uttering a simple sentence was a struggle. Standing up to walk was a major event, and only by expending great effort could she shuffle across the floor. But her attitude was inspiring. As her preacher, I visited her on occasion. One day I called on her, feeling rather stressed and discouraged. As I was leaving, I commented on how hard her life must be. She replied, “Yes, I get lonely and hurt constantly…but I’ve never had more joy!” I was amazed. Externally, her life was “the pits”, but inwardly, life had never been better! I left that day refreshed and energized. I came to minister to her, but left, having been ministered to.

In contrast, ever meet someone who possesses everything the world offers, but who survives in misery? Scarcely a week passes when we don’t read of a celebrity who dies at their own hand or checks into a rehab. It seems so…upside down. In the natural, they should be the happiest folks on earth, but some (certainly not all) endure a tortured existence. It’s not the external “goodies” that make them miserable; it simply shows that the external has nothing to do with living a joy-filled life.

What’s the answer to this paradox? Simply this: Choose joy over happiness. The word “happy” comes from the word “happening”; meaning that as long as good stuff’s happening, we feel good. Its sole basis is external circumstances. In contrast, joy is a deep inner contentment, regardless of external circumstances. The short letter of Philippians contains the word joy more than any other New Testament book, yet Paul wrote it from prison. In 4:11 he writes, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”  The old adage rings true, “Joy is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.” That aptly summarizes the contrast between happiness and joy.

So how do I find joy? It’s a simple decision. You choose to “want what you have”, rather than chasing the black hole of “having what you want”. I’m not being simplistic. It really is that easy, as Mary shows us. Eccl.2:24 states, “The best thing we can do is to enjoy eating, drinking, and working. I believe these are God’s gifts to us.”  In other words, “want what you have!” Don’t sit around thinking about what you don’t have, and what’s wrong with life. Enjoy whatever God has given you. If you’re a Christ-follower, your life abounds with hope and purpose. So start today…right now. Fill your heart with joyful and grateful thoughts. Quit chasing happiness and begin living a life of joy!