THE WORD FOR TODAY: OF JOY AND OF HAPPINESS- BY GREG ELKAN

“In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Psalm 16:11

Joy and happiness are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday speech, but they are two distinct concepts, both in psychology and in scripture.

In psychology, joy and happiness are seen as positive emotions that are distinguished by their intensity, duration, and sources. Happiness is the subtle, gentle feeling a person experiences when things are going well and they’re content with life. Joy, on the other hand, is a more intense and vivid emotion, often described as a deep sense of gladness, delight, or exultation.

Happiness is typically based on what’s happening in your life: being promoted at work, receiving a compliment, enjoying a tasty meal, etc. Because it is dependent on external circumstances that come and go, happiness is fleeting and changes from day to day.

Joy, however, comes from within, not from situations happening around you. As a result, joy tends to be more enduring and can be present even in difficult circumstances.

This is especially true of the joy taught in scripture.

Joy is a central theme in the Bible, mentioned as a gift from God, a strength in our trials, and a reflection of our salvation. At the heart of biblical joy lies our connection with God. As the psalmist says to God in our anchor verse, “In your presence is fulness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” True joy is found not in temporary pleasures but in the lasting presence of our Creator. In the same spirit, Nehemiah 8:10 encourages us with the words, _“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”_ God’s joy is not merely a comfort; it is a sustaining power that carries us through challenges.

At a fundamental level, what the world calls “joy” is actually happiness, and the pursuit of it drives much of its activity. Happiness requires a source, but so does our joy. The difference, however, is that our joy is anchored to something beyond time and space; it is hinged on God.

It is that kind of joy that would make barren Hannah wipe her tears even though she wasn’t pregnant yet, that would make the disciples rejoice at being flogged by the religious leaders of their day, and that would make the apostle Paul tell the Philippian church to _“rejoice in the Lord always,”_ even though he was writing from a Roman prison (1 Sam 1:18; Acts 5:39-42; Phil 4:4).

That kind of joy is more important than all the happiness that wealth, success, or pleasure in the world can bring. And that kind of joy is what we need to remind believers in the church about.

Because, as Paul warns us, the kingdom of God is not in meat and drink—and testimonies of prosperity, deliverances, and miracles. While these are admirable and desirable, God’s true kingdom is in _righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost,_ (Rom 14:17).

AMEN

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

- Nigeria