Joy vs. Happiness

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ:

To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad.,

Greetings.

TRIALS AND MATURITY

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.,

James is writing to a dispersed group of Christians.

James 1:1 says “To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad” These believers are under intense persecution and are about to receive timely encouragement from James.

It may come as a surprise that James is going to talk to them about joy.

This is one of the bench marks of the Christian life.

In order for us to traverse the life that God has planned for us we have to be able to make a distinction between Joy and happiness!

I. Joy is Different than Happiness.

A simple illustration can help us better understand the difference between joy and happiness. Let’s imagine you wake up one morning and make yourself a hot cup of coffee, or you go to Starbucks and get your favorite drink. There is nothing like a good cup of coffee to start off your morning. You take your first sip and it makes you happy. Because the coffee is good, it brings you happiness.

Now, lets assume your holding your cup of coffee in your living room or Starbucks or wherever you get your coffee and someone walks by you and bumps you. When they bump you, your coffee spills all over you. Your shirt and pants are covered in coffee. Not only is your coffee gone, but your outfit is ruined. Are you still happy?

Very likely, your not. Just like that your happiness is gone. It is fleeting. Joy however is not fleeting. It remains!

Someone once said, “The difference between happiness and joy is that happiness comes from happenings and joy comes from Jesus.”

But pastor, you don’t understand, How can I have joy when everyone is against me? When it seems like everyone HATES ME?

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.

Joy is finding peace through difficult times because you are leaning on God’s understanding and not your own.

(Story of Chrissy)

(Story of Black Man on the Weather Channel.)

He kept saying “God is Good” Even if my house is under water, God is good.

They pressed him but what are your plans if you get in there and you have lost everything? “I’m just gonna trust God because he is good no matter what.”

What does your town need the most, for those outside who are wanting to help… he said prayer, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways ,then will I hear from heaven and will heal their lands.”

He started talking about how grateful he was for the first responders and police who were helping and talking about how our unwillingness to repent is what is causing all the hurt in our land....THIS IS WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM AS HE WAS STANDING THERE NOT KNOWING IF HE EVEN STILL HAS A HOUSE!

II. Joy isn’t dependent on circumstances.

One pastor said it like this, “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.

That is easy for you to say preacher, but you don’t know the circumstance of my life!

Nope, and you don’t know the circumstances of mine!

But here is what I do know.

Romans 8:18 NKJV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

IF YOU ARE SAVED AND BOUGHT BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, THEN YOUR WORST DAY ON EARTH IS AS CLOSE AS YOU WILL EVER BE TO HELL AND PAUL SAYS THAT THE SUFFERINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH ARE NOT EVEN WORTHY TO BE MENTIONED IN THE SAME CONVERSATION WITH THE GLORY THAT SHALL BE REVEALED IN US!

Here is what you need to see in that verse.

It doesn’t say the glory that will be reveled TO US but IN us!!!

What does that mean?

Look back to vs. 14-17

vs 14 - we are the children of God.

vs. 15 - adopted into His family

vs. 16 - our Spirit bears witness to whom we belong.

vs. 17 - if we are heirs with Christ then we should share in HIS sufferings.

What was the point of his sufferings? To Bring GLORY TO GO AND SALVATION TO MAN!

What then is the point of our sufferings? vs. 18 to REVEAL THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US AND THUS THROUGH OUR JOY IN SUFFERINGS, SOMEONE MIGHT JUST GET HELP IN THEIR SITUATION AND THEY MIGHT JUST PLACE THEIR TRUST IN JESUS BECAUSE OF THE GLORY THAT IS REVEALED IN YOU THROUGH YOUR SUFFERING!

Remember, Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 12 that he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment him so that he would not exalt himself. He asked God to remove it 3 times but God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is perfected in weakness.”

So to that Paul said this.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 (CSB)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A Russian countess accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour and was open about her testimony. The Tsar was displeased and threw her into prison. After 24 hours with the lowest level of Russian society, in the most miserable conditions imaginable, he ordered her brought into his presence. He smiled sardonically and said, “Well, are you ready now to renounce your silly faith and come back to the pleasures of the court?”

To his surprise, the countess smiled serenely and said, “I have known more real joy and more real happiness in one day in prison with Jesus than I have known in a lifetime in the courts of the Tsar.” She found out what was really the easy way

Application

Choose Joy. It doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a conscious decision that says, “I’m going to life to the full for Christ regardless of my circumstances knowing God has everything under control.

Watch your actions closely this week. You will quickly be able to see if you’re operating out of happiness or joy.

Hard times ARE COMING. Remember, James said “Count it ALL JOY WHEN (NOT IF) WHEN YOU FALL IN TO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS.

3. Ask God for joy and wisdom. He will gladly give it to you!