Join in the Joy
Through the years, I have frequently preached about joy. It is more than an emotion (although it includes emotion); rather, it is a settled attitude, a stable and sturdy approach to life that focuses us on the things that matter now and forever. Joy is much greater and much more powerful than happiness, which is event or circumstance driven. There is nothing wrong with happiness. It is certainly better than unhappiness. Also, we have different personalities. For example, my wife is happy-go-lucky. Of course, she has every reason to be, being married to me. However, not everyone can be married to me. We need something more substantial than happiness; that something is joy. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Both II John 4 and III John 3-4 speak of joy returning to us and expanding as we observe the faithfulness of fellow followers of Christ Jesus. Yet how do we distinguish happiness from joy? One difference is duration of time. For example, if I jokingly say that my wife is a rapper who goes by the handle the Notorious B. A. G., we can all laugh, perhaps uproariously, and experience a moment of happiness. A good laugh is a good thing. However, it comes and goes (unless I keep repeating the joke). Joy in a relationship is long-term; we look forward to being with someone and feel better when that person is around. An example is the way that my wife feels about me … oh, and how I feel about her, too, of course! May we be grateful to God that joy, like Him, is forever.