Are joy and happiness the same? If you were to look as the definitions they are almost identical and are even considered synonyms, but based on the question you can probably already guess the answer and it is no they are not the same.
Typically happiness is an emotion that revolves around a situation, event, object, person, place, thought, or relationship. However, there is one problem with all of those and that is they can all change or disappear because happiness is based on something external. Therefore as the old saying goes, “Happiness is fleeting.”
So if you rely upon happiness for existence, then I am sorry to say you will be sadly disappointed. Look as some of the most so called happy people in the world and ask yourself are they really happy? If all these people were truly happy, then why do they act the opposite and even potentially commit suicide? The answer is happiness changes. A better solution is joy.
So what about joy, what is it? Joy is internal and therefore is not contingent upon anything to exist. So are you asking yourself how to find joy? The simple answer is through God. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and a gift from God.
John 15:9-17 New International Version (NIV)
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Romans 15:13 New International Version (NIV)
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the ways to have joy is to live in obedience and to trust the Lord.
So ask yourself which would you rather have, happiness or joy? As for me, I would rather have joy. I pray that you each of you that read this find joy.