CHOOSE JOY!

                                    


Recently I was involved in a conversation where love & happiness were briefly examined.  As I say that, some of you may have a flashback of Al Green singing a song by the same name.  That's okay.  For some of us, it is a classic.

By the world's standards, we often hear or see those two words used interchangeably, but are they?  The Oxford Dictionary defines joy as "a feeling of great pleasure or happiness" and happiness as "the state of being happy" thereby being similar to contentment, pleasure, satisfaction and cheerfulness.

From spiritual or Biblical perspective, they are not the same.  Happiness is contingent upon external circumstances like an event in in your life or a person.  People and circumstnaces can be fickle.  On the other hand,  joy as a fruit of the spirit is internal, not affected by anyone or anything external.  Joy is God-centered, God-focused, and sustained by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is consistent and does not change or waiver like people or circumstances. (Hebrews 13:8)

I am very close with someone who "lost" a person who was very dear to them.  There was no happiness associated with that change in circumstance, but their joy never waned.  Scripture teaches us the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10). Joy empowers or enables us to stand fast in our faith no matter the circumstance. 

Given an option, choose joy! 

Blessings.

~CWP~




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