The Difference Between Joy and Happiness

So, I have a question for you.
Are you happy?
Yes?
No?
Alright, second question.
Do you have joy?
Same question, you say?
I don't believe so.
I think happiness and joy are two different things.
Here's why.
I've been really happy before even when I had no joy.
And I've had joy before even in unhappy situations.
Confused yet?
I'll explain.
I believe happiness comes mainly from the world.
Things of this world are able to make you happy.
And happiness is always situational.
Which means, depending on what is going on in a situation,
you will be happy or unhappy.
Have you ever been happy and then the situation changed
resulting in you immediately becoming unhappy?
I'm guessing probably so.
So happiness, then, is fleeting.
But joy is different.
Joy is lasting.
Joy is from God.
Joy is a gift from the Father.
And if you allow it, joy is eternal.
See, joy is something deep.
It is different than happiness which comes and goes.
The joy of the Lord lasts forever.
Despite the situation.

Okay, I'm going to admit something pretty heavy.
Church, don't hang me for this.

I believe that the happiness of the world
is usually more fun than the joy of the Lord.
"What did he just say?"
"Did he really admit that?"
Yes I did, and I hold to it.
Else, why would anyone seek it over joy?
Getting drunk is fun.
Drugs are fun.
Seeking the opposite sex is fun.
Lying, cheating, stealing, rebelling--
All those things are fun.
But the problem is that that fun fades.
And in the end, you're always left with nothing.
After you get drunk or high, you're sober.
After you seek women or men lustfully, you're left empty.
The happiness of the world eventually ends.
But joy remains.
And without God you can't have joy.
Because joy is an eternal gift.
If you're not acting in the eternal, than how can you share in an eternal gift?
Joy is a mixture of things.
Peace, Faith, and most of all, Contentment.
And each of those comes from the Lord.
When you have joy, no matter how good or bad the situation,
the Peace of the Lord calms you.
the Faith of the Father lifts your spirit.
and the Contentment of the Creator takes away the attacks of the Enemy.
Anxiety, Worry, Frustration.
All those begin to fade when you have true joy in the Spirit.

Four years ago my cousin Andrew, ten years old at the time, suddenly and unexpectedly died of a brain aneurism. I can honestly say it was one of the hardest things I had ever dealt with in my entire life. But when I walked to the pulpit--tears streaming down my face--to give a speech at his funeral, the words that left my lips were these: "I hate the fact that Andrew is dead. I hate that I don't get any more years with him. I am so sad that he is gone from our lives. And yet, I feel such a peace from the Lord about it. To be honest, I hate that I feel peace about this. But I do."

I don't believe God caused my cousin's death.
But I do believe, when Andrew died, that God gave us that peace.
To know that He had him in His home with Him.
And that Andrew was okay.
That though this tragic thing has happened,
God was still there for us.
Andrew is leaping for joy with Jesus right now in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Andrew is eternal.
And so, even though the situation was horrible here on Earth.
I was still able to have joy.
That is the real power of true joy from God.
That we are able to focus not on our situation,
Or our problems,
Or on the world.
But on eternity.
I promise you.
When this life ends, the happiness of this world will be found meaningless.
But the joy of the Lord lasts forever.
Stop investing in the world's temporary trash.
Start sowing your eternal seeds.

Identity Crisis

So, I care too much about what people think of me.
I bet you struggle with something similar.
I've even changed how I acted to be more accepted by people.
That sucks.
I don't care what society tells you.
Changing youself for others just sucks.
Why do we do it?
Why do I forsake myself?
So others will think I am cooler or better or more accepted?
Why do you do it?
Because you don't feel worthy?
Or wanted?
To fit in?
Who do you do it for?
For friends?
For a job?
...for Church?
Scary stuff.
God laid this bomb on me recently.
Are you sitting down?
Cuz this is big stuff.
Life-changing type stuff.
Time for truth.
Most people in this world know only a percentage of who you are.
Even your family knows only a percentage of who you are.
Think about it.
Each person only knows the percentage of yourself that you decide to show them
Mixed with how that person decides to perceive you with what you've shown.
Pretty complicated.
Do you show the members of your family
the same person you show your friends?
Do you show your group of friends
the same person you show people in your church?
I doubt it.
Bigtime.
No one on this entire planet knows you 100%.
So why do we put so much stock into what their opinions of us are?
Why do we craft our personalities around them?
Why do we base our identities on what others believe?
I'm tired of it.
Exhausted, actually.
But here is the good news.
No, the best news.
God knows everything about you.
All of you.
100%.
He says He knows every hair on your head.
Every thought you've ever had.
What you are doing, have done, and will do.
And do you know what He says about you?
He says, "I am so incredibly proud of you."
"You are so amazing."
"You are perfect and blameless because I created you and you have accepted me."
"And I love you."
Wow.
The Creator of the Universe loves me.
And He loves you too.
More than you know.
That's pretty intense.
He will never tell you that you are not enough.
He will never tell you are unworthy.
He will never tell you that you are unlovable.
Because none of those things are true.
You are enough.
You are worthy.
And you are lovable.
Don't listen to me.
Ask Him right now.
He'll tell you.
I mean, it just makes sense to listen to Him.
No one else on this world truly knows all of you except God.
And He that does know everything has only good things to say about you!
Why would you ever listen to anyone else?
Why would you want to?
When their opinions of you are wrong and incomplete.
Seek God for your true identity.
Never listen to the lies of this world because they're worthless.
Take everything to God and diligently listen to what He has to say.
I promise you that you can not walk away from God unencouraged.
He knows who you are.
He made you.
And He loves you.
You are His child.
And He desires to lift you up.
Never push you down.
Open your ears to God.
And punch Satan in his filthy, lying mouth.
You are perfect in the eyes of Christ.
So go be perfect.

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The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
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