Joy and Happiness

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lakotak

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Can some of you more learned than I am explain to me the concept of joy in the Lord as opposed to happiness in the Lord. What is joy in the Lord?
 
Happiness is a fleeting,joy is more of an internal disposition.🙂
 
Happiness is a reaction to circumstance. Happiness is when we smile or laugh because of a funny joke. When we are in the presence of someone we love, we are happy. It is an effect from a cause.

Joy on the other hand is a firm confidence in God’s promises, despite our circumstances. When we see the elderly man laying on his death bed, and he is content with the fact he is dying… he is not happy because of his situation… but he has joy… joy in the Lord… despite the death that is impending, because he trusts in the promises of God. Joy is not fleeting, it doesn’t disappear when our external stimuli are removed… it is there still because God is stlil with us.

Joy vs Happiness
 
lakotak said:
Can some of you more learned than I am explain to me the concept of joy in the Lord as opposed to happiness in the Lord. What is joy in the Lord?
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Great question my friend! The following is my best concept:

Happiness is experienced when one is doing something s/he essentially forces him/herself to want to do. Jesus Christ’s greatest example of this is His Crucifixion. He initially did not want to be crucified, but after preparing Himself, He was able to fully (mentally, spiritually, bodily, and willfully) embrace, also known as wanting to, the cross. In fully embracing the cross, He was able to never fall out of the bottom level of happiness->contentment while completing the mission.

Joy is experienced when one is doing something s/he naturally desires doing. Because this is of a more selfish nature, the level of happiness becomes limitless.

Therefore, Joy in the Lord is doing something one naturally desires which is in alignment with the Spirit of God.

Thoughts?
 
From the word ‘happy’, happiness is the result of good or nice things has happened or because of feeling satisfied with their lives.

Joy is something that you feel from the bottom of your heart in relation to God’s love.
 
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