The secret of having joy (3)

“In thy presence is fulness of joy.”  Ps 16:11

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 such happiness is temporary and fickle; true joy is permanent and settled. Some Christians are so serious and solemn they’d lead you to believe God cringes at laughter and hates anything that smacks of joy and delight. The Psalmist wrote, “In thy presence is fulness 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 words joy and joyful are found there no less than 245 times. The word rejoice shows up 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 you to feel happy if you’re not. But you can choose to be joyful regardless of your circumstances. And neither is joy a commodity that can be bought. Many people find out too late that money can’t buy happiness, much less joy. It’s been said that the poor are better off than the rich, because while the poor keep thinking money will buy happiness, the rich know better. Trying to find happiness and joy in materialism is like drinking salt water: The more you drink, the thirstier you get. The secret to lasting joy is in realizing that you’re unconditionally loved, valued, and accepted by God.

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