The Difference between Joy and Happiness

I do not want you to be happy. I don't want you to be filled up with happiness. 

I want you to be filled with absolute joy! 

But what is the difference between joy and happiness? 

Happiness is external; it comes from an outside source. For example, chocolate, good music, and relaxing all make me happy. But none of them make me joyful because

joy comes from within. 

Joy can not be taken away by outside factors. 
Nothing and no one can take away your joy.   

I personally feel that as a society, we settle for happiness. We have this idea that money, power, looks, and attention will make us happy. We sometimes think to ourselves, "I'd be happier if I was 10 pounds thinner" or "I'd be happy if I only had a boyfriend" or "I'd be happy if I just got that promotion." 

But all of those things, don't have any true substance. Yea, it would be great to get a promotion, and there is nothing wrong with wanting and striving towards a promotion. But we need to realize that there is a fine line between working hard for a promotion or raise, and living for a promotion or raise. We need to remember that the perfect body, money, power, cars, and a six figure salary won't fill our hearts.
We will only feel satisfied and fulfilled if we have joy in our lives. 

Joy comes from within. 
For me personally, helping people brings me joy. Writing, praying, and researching information for G4G makes me joyful. It's like there's this little ball of light inside my chest, and as I write, pray, or research for G4G, it's like that ball of light gets

bigger, and bigger, and bigger, and bigger 

until it just pours out, and I can't help it but to to be who God made me to be!

It's like radiating love. Joy are those things in your life that make you radiate love, and make your heart feel full.

In your life joy can come from/be in different forms. Joy might come from writing, it might come from being an amazing friend, it might come from going to church, playing music, helping others, having a career you're passionate about, or spending time with family. 

Find the joy in your life! :) 

Joy is powerful. 

Joy is more powerful than suffering.

Joy is more powerful than stress.

Joy is more powerful than insecurities and negative thoughts. 

Happiness is flimsy. Happiness can come and go in the blink of an eye. Maybe being popular or fitting in will make you happy, but if you're not sticking true to who you are, being popular won't satisfy your heart. Maybe making a six figure salary would be beneficial and make you happy, but if money is the center of your life, you're heart won't be satisfied. 

But the best part about joy, is that joy does not leave us due to suffering, or hard times. 

Romans 5:2-5 "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God No only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope. And hope does not disappoints us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us."

Joy will stick with us though thick and thin because it has been poured into us. 
It's OURS! I know that having joy in hard times is a hard thing to put into practice. I've been trying really hard do this in my life, and it's NOT easy but when I do find joy in the days where I think I'm about to break, it's really is a game changer. 
**This week why don't we to find/focus on something in our lives that bring us absolute JOY! If you want please feel free to comment at the bottom at let G4G know what brings you absolute joy?!?

"Happiness is a cheap substitute for joy." ~ Matt Chandler