Can Someone Steal My Joy?
Can Someone Steal My Joy?
Have you ever thought about the difference between happiness and joy? Erroneously used interchangeably, both are emotions, but the source of these feelings defines how we should view them and define them.
Happiness is a feeling encouraged externally – something experienced by the senses – triggering the state and measured by intensity and duration. The sound of laughter, the smell of cookies baking, the feel of your favorite sweater can all evoke the happy nostalgia of Christmastime with family and friends. The feeling pervades and lasts until your uncle Bob shows up and says something rude – boom! – happiness fades. The mad scramble to restore the feeling is on and the emotional roller coaster ride begins.
Joy is chosen – personally and internally – and it has no measure. Either you have it or you don’t. Joy doesn’t dissipate with the appearance of strife, heartache and grief because it has the power of your free-will choice. Reinforced with the grace of God your joy will never end.
So, don’t buy in to the latest greatest saying: “Don’t let someone steal your joy!” unless you comprehend the context in which you are using the word ‘joy.’ Yes – it is possible for the influence of another to kill the mood and upset your happy feelings, but the gift of God’s joy doesn’t become void through the influence of another person.
Choosing the joy of the Lord fills us with the strength to carry on through trust in Him. He is the true love of all mankind that “…always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres… [and His] … Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8). This love came to us, as one of us, to live a life like ours and show us the truth of our existence. This love died for us, as one of us, and rose again from the dead to show us the truth of life after death. This love lives in us, showing this truth to others so that all have the free will to choose it. Or not. His name is Jesus and if you don’t know Him you have a choice to make today. Choose wisely. Blessings.
