1039) I want to be happy is a statement I hear and read about regularly. What’s interesting is when one pursues happiness, it’s a short-term emotional “fix” that is here one minute than gone another.

Happiness involves circumstances outside of myself, therefore, it is situation or person- specific. Joy comes from within. Yes, joy involves our emotions, but I experience it because of something else.

In Galatians 5:22-23, the Greek word for joy is chara which means something that results from the awareness of God’s grace. (Grace! Here we go again!) Let’s think about this.

What would it be like for you to know that what you did wrong today can always be forgiven? How about the fact that when you have done or said something stupid, it will not be held over your head?

Let’s keep going. How would it be to have a God that wants you to be yourself–even with all your flaws? Just these thoughts alone produce a peaceful joy.

So, in reality, God gives you a soft place to fall; he picks you up and dusts you off and says, Try again.

Wow! How much tension and stress within would this eliminate? God’s gift of joy is a valuable thing.