Joy vs. Happiness

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CRAZY is a fairly accurately word that sums up my life these past few weeks.

The weird thing is that even though every day I wake up with a list the size of my textbook pages to do that day and I run around throughout the day like a chicken with its head cut off, I am not constantly feeling “STRESSED OUT”. I simply feel busy.

It is hard to explain but I have concluded that deep down I have peace about my current situation in life. I still have my moments but during the midst of all the craziness I, myself, am not going crazy.

It is one of the best things I have ever have experienced—true peace and joy with all of life. I want to share some of that journey with you.

4 Things About My Journey of Finding TRUE JOY IN LIFE:

1) JOY is Different Than Happiness

            Happiness is a mood that can come and fade in an instant. One moment crying and the next laughing (this happens often to me— welcome to the world of emotional females). Happiness is a feeling. It is a surface-y thing that we say when we feel good about something or someone.

            Joy on the other hand is deep. Joy is vast. Joy is “harder” to obtain. It is greater. Joy is feeling happy, content, and peaceful about all of life. Deep down it is knowing that someone has our back and we are able to smile through the struggles and trials.

2) JOY is Way Better Than Happiness

Now I am not saying that happiness is a bad thing. However, when we are searching for things in life that only make us happy we miss the true joy that we can experience through each and every stage of life.

Many times we end up seeking happiness instead of joy. We find the things in life that make us happy and pursue them or go around telling people how happy they make us feel. I do the exact same thing. I have a tendency to say, “Oh my goodness, that makes me really happy,” a lot. And while I am happy at that moment for whatever reason it is merely happiness and not true joy I found.

--A smile can equal happiness but a heart, mind, and body that is smiling equals joy--

3) Finding True JOY

            How we achieve this true joy is not by running around smiling all the time and telling people that we have joy in our hearts. While positivity in life helps, true joy is found in Christ. He is the only one that can completely satisfy our heart, mind and soul.

            Our comfort should come only from Him and not in the “other things in life that make us happy” because sooner or later those things will disappear. And if our identity and self-worth was found in those things, one day we will be left feeling empty and alone.

True joy lies in searching the Word (the Bible) for our contentment. During the hard days it is choosing to rely on His strength and not our own. It is choosing to believe the truth and to not let discouraging lies creep their way into our thoughts.

James talks about joy and trials often and this is one of my favorite passages because it is encouraging and hopeful (even though I have only recently really understood it):

James 1:2-3, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (NASAB)

4) How to Maintain True Joy

This is the part of joy that I have been experiencing lately (James 1:2-3). Through each and every incoming and ongoing life thing that is happening I am finding this sense of stability. It is this deep down, God given, emotion of security, peace, and joy.

Because of this, I have been able to truly enjoy the moment without being worried about the outcome of the next. I have been able to smile through the tears, the momentary pain, the frustration, and the struggles that life brings my way. I have leaped off of my self-propelled, unsuccessful, fishing boat and jump onto His unsinkable ship.

I am trusting that GODS’ GOT THIS.

The only way I am able to do this is through constant prayer. If we want a life full of joy, we need Christ to remain at the center. We need to thank Him for the many blessings we have. We need to boldly ask for strength to endure. Reading His scripture often and being reminded of His promises during the midst of adversity is what will keep joy and peace in our hearts.

Learning to trust God with everything in life is one of the hardest things we will ever do. Even though we are Christians, we still want to be the headliner and the star. We value our pride. We may experience some happiness during those times but they will come and go quickly.

If we are rooted in Christ, actively seeking His face each day, keeping faith in His timing, and staying humble by accepting instruction, we will experience and be able to maintain true joy with life. We will feel free because we cannot control everything and now we know it.

"I COULD PLAY THE BACKGROUND" --Lecrae. And let God "STEAL MY SHOW"-- Toby Mac. These are two of my favorite songs. They point to being content with letting God take over. When we see God do something amazing or have a "God moment" life becomes that much sweeter. We can see Him working and doing incredible things through us. It is so much better than observing our own, self-make accomplishments that are so, so tiny and do not come close to being compared to what God can do and is doing in our lives each and every day.

Finally, true joy is saying (one of my favorite quotes from Facing the Giants): “Lord, I will still love you.” No matter what happens we have to learn to become content (having joy and peace) with where we are at, who we are with, what we are doing, while actively trusting the God we cannot see to do the things that are out of our control.

Blessings,

~Gracie