Joy Vs. Happiness
“Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:4
“When times are good, be happy…” Ecclesiastes 7:14
Joy and happiness are not that same thing. They sound like they would be the same thing and in the moment sometimes they feel like they are the same thing but they are actually very different.
Joy comes from the Lord. It is satisfying, long lasting, and eternal. Happiness comes from circumstances. It is a temporary feeling based on a circumstance. Not one of them is good and one bad.
I had this preconceived notion that happiness and seeking what provided you with happiness was wrong/bad, but the Lord provides happiness as well as joy. We can be happy because of gifts the Lord has given us. Seeking those gifts to provide us with happiness and not the Lord is where we go wrong.
Joy is based in JESUS. It is permanent when we are abiding in Jesus. God is the source of our joy because He is the only one who will ever be able to satisfy that hunger in our soul for eternal happiness.
Seek Jesus and your heart will be filled with joy and He will provide you with gifts that give you happiness.