Joy

Have you enjoyed the holiday season? It is the dedicated season to have harmony with family and friends. It is a time to slow down and enjoy the emotions joy brings. One can feel peace and tranquility. A sense of calmness comes over you. The emotions of love and gladness appear. To the Christian, the life of Jesus, the son of God, can instill in the soul of every believer the greatest sense of joy. From the birth of Jesus till his resurrection and ascension, a believer has hope; a hope of joy, peace and happiness.

Many have sung, Joy to the world, the Lord is come! We recognize the type of lifestyle God hoped for and offers to all mankind. The emotions fill our souls with wonderful expectations of eternal life in Glory. Joy and gladness are what Jesus brought to earth. Therefore, we sing songs of gladness.

Positive and happy emotions are contagious. Try this sometime. When you are in a public place, even though you may feel down, look into the eyes of a passerby and SMILE. Do this to several people. Count how many smiles back. It won’t take long, it will get easier to do. Soon, even though you felt apprehensive at the start, you feel a great accomplishment come over you and your day is brighter than you could imagine. A sense of joy has risen.

Do you remember where these emotions come from? James tells us in James 1:17. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. God gave us the perfect gift, his son, by which our joy comes. This gift is entered into our spirits by God so we can recognize his love for us and recognize all good and perfect gifts are from him. Satan wants us to think we create our own happiness. Our happiness is a gift, a good and perfect gift from God.

To many people in the world, all these emotions of joy and happiness appear to be external material things and can only determine outcomes of joy by external circumstances.

Albert Ellis, a philosopher, believes it is irrational to suggest happiness is caused by external circumstances. It really depends upon our interpretations of events.

British philosophers, John Locke and Jeremy Bentham, say it is determined by a number of positive events experienced in life.

One believes our happiness comes from something other than interpretations of external forces and the other two believe it is a lifetime of experiences which determine our happiness. Righteous people know it is a gift from God.

What might bring you joy? Job? Money? Spouse? Children? Property? More of the above? How much more? Is there a limit? How much physical, material things will satisfy your spirit? Or, does your joy come from the hope of salvation with God?

The idea that more money can increase joy is a myth. This myth can be put to bed as studies show household incomes cause an increase in happiness as income rises. Happiness and incomes of greater values than $50,000/yr. have been proven to not increase happiness at an even rate. Therefore, more income does not create more happiness. Things such as money, beauty, youth, intelligence, and education matter less than self-esteem, social skills, free times, volunteering and humor in creating happiness in a person. Even though external circumstances and possession of material things might cause a small increase in happiness, long term results are not generated. Positive life events do not guarantee you will always be filled with joy. The greatest happiness comes from being social. We need to socialize. Why did God ordain and Jesus establish the church? Could it be to cause socialization among believers to comfort, edify and carry each other’s burdens?

Philosophers list three things that make a person happy;

Something to do

Something or someone to love

Something to look forward to

SOMETHING TO DO

Many say, “I want a better job where I do not have to do much physical work. I just want more money.” Have you ever said such a thing? Have you ever had a job like that?

That job becomes boring. Many who have jobs where they do little or no physical labor get depressed and the body becomes sluggish. Many retired people do not like retirement because they cannot find enough to do.

Having something to do does create a sense of joy to the beholder. Doing things with another expands the amount of joy one feels.

SOMETHING OR SOMEONE TO LOVE

God made mankind social beings. They need someone or something to care for and love. Family—spouse, children, grand-children; friends, neighbors you associate with, a church family, all bring satisfaction to the need to be of service and useful.