The word happiness comes from the old English word happ, which means ‘chance.’ It corresponds to the Latin word fortuna, which means ‘luck.’ Both words suggest that when things happen the way we want them to we’re happy, and when they don’t we’re unhappy. But that kind of happiness is temporary and fickle; true joy is permanent and settled. Some Christians are so serious and solemn they’d make you think God cringes at laughter and hates anything resembling joy and delight. The psalmist wrote, ‘In your presence there is fullness of joy.’ C. S. Lewis observed, ‘Joy is the serious business of heaven.’ The truth is, the Bible is one of the most joy-filled books ever written. The numbers vary a bit depending on which translation you’re using, but you’ll find that the words joy and joyful appear somewhere around 245 times. The word rejoice shows up around 150 times, and we’re instructed to be joyful and rejoice nearly 400 times. That means joy isn’t an emotion, it’s an attitude. An emotion can’t be commanded; no one can tell us to feel happy if we’re not. But we can choose to be joyful regardless of our circumstances. ‘Always be joyful. Pray continually and give thanks whatever happens’ (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NCV). When we realise we’re unconditionally loved, valued, and accepted by God, we’ll have that truth underlying everything that’s going on in our lives, good or bad. And if we can focus on that truth during the tough times, we’ll find it easier to feel joyful through them.
What now?
Grab your Bible and highlight the words joy or joyful. Count how many times they appear. Then whenever you’re reading your Bible, you can use each highlight you come across as a reminder that the Bible’s packed with joy.