As I dove into the study on the Holy Fruit of Joy, I asked myself several questions, one of which was, Is there a difference between joy and happiness?

Turns out there is! And this is where I want to begin our study.

I’ll admit up front, I am a word study fanatic. I like to say I get this from my Papa who has been many things in his life, two of which was a professor and a pastor. We can’t not go into some study together when I visit, and I love it!

So hang with me through the beginning. We’re going to dive in first to a series of definitions and root word studies before I get to the point that the Fruit of the Holy Spirit of Joy is a supernatural strength. It differs from happiness as we (the world) uses it, and it is completely contrary to the circumstances in which we find ourselves in this world. It’s a fruit that truly only comes from being connected to the Vine.

Is Happiness Joy and Joy Happiness?

Perhaps you can attest, but I hear the words joy and happiness used interchangeably all the time; in the circle of believers and non-believers.

I hear things like:

{Insert name of the ‘new guy/girl’} someone is dating-
“I’m finally happy! He/she gets me!”

{Insert the new job they strived to get}-
“I’m doing what makes me happy.”

{Insert anything that makes them feel their own purpose and achievement}-
“I finally know what happiness is!”

{Insert that friend who is a friend but doesn’t keep you accountable}-
“You just do what makes you happy. No one else can tell you what to do!”

But can we use the “joy” received from God through His Holy Spirit be the same as we use “happy” or “happiness”?

I’m not convinced, according to my research and reading the Word.

Furthermore, I find myself asking, how does joy give me strength like the Bible says? Strength for what? What does the holy fruit of Joy look like? Why would joy equip me with strength to do what I enjoy doing, that already makes me “happy”?

Let’s dive in…

Happiness

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…” It’s written in the Declaration of Independence. But I would venture to say that most people have warped that phrase, “pursuit of happiness” to encompass a discontentment of what is and to encourage a chasing after, or a quest of reaching after, someTHING that makes them happy.

But is that what our founding fathers meant- that the pursuit of happiness means to chase after happiness?

In an article written by Emory University, it reads, “Arthur Schlesinger should be credited with pointing out in a nice little essay in 1964 that at the time of the Declaration’s composition, “the pursuit of happiness” did not mean chasing or seeking it, but actually practicing happiness…”

“Seeking happiness is one thing but actually obtaining it and experiencing it —practicing happiness! — is an entirely different matter. It’s the difference between dreaming and reality. Remember that the pursuit of happiness, in the Declaration, is not a quest or a pastime, but “an unalienable right.” Everyone has the right to actually be happy, not just try to be happy.“

But because most people in the world believe everything is relative and what’s true for one person may not be truth to another, trying to be happy in their “unalienable right” can still be contrary to the Word of God.

Applying this concept to the Truth of scripture, I am reminded of 1 Timothy 6:6-12, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a roof of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man (and woman) of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…”

To pursue happiness, or to practice happiness, translates as contentment to the Body of Christ.

Happy, in Greek, is makarios, prounounced mak-ar’-ee-os. It’s an adjective used to describe a situation in which a person is “blessed, happy.”

Makarios translates into “blessed“, “happy,” and “happier“, and is used 50 times in the King James Version of the Bible.

Eser, prounounced eh’-sher, is a Hebrew word found 45 times in the Old Testament and is used to describe happiness and blessedness. This use of the word happy was often used as an interjection!

It’s interesting to me, though, most of those 95 translations of the word “happy” in the original Greek and Hebrew languages don’t refer to a typically pleasant experience or situation in which one would think they are “blessed” or would want to express their “blessedness!”

It’s not the same as how we would use “happy” today in this world.

Makarios & Eser in Scripture

In scripture, we read passages like the following using the words makarios and eser:

• “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects…”
  Job 5:17
• “Blessed (or happy) is the man whose quiver is full of [children]…”
  Psalms 127:5
• “Blessed (or happy) is the one who always trembles before God…”
  Prov. 28:14
• “But even if you should suffer what is right, you are blessed (or happy)…”
  1 Peter 3:14
• “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed (or happy)…”
  1 Peter 4:14
• “A servant is not ranked above his master; nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, blessed (or happy) are you if you do them.”
  John 13:16-17
• “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
  Matt. 5:3
• “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
  Matt. 5:4
• “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
  Matt. 5:5
• “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
  Matt. 5:6
• “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
  Matt. 5:7
• “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
  Matt. 5:8
• “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
  Matt. 5:9
• “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
  Matt. 5:10
• “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…”
  Matt. 5:11

Happiness, according to The Britannica Dictionary, is a noun meaning, a state of emotional well-being. It’s also defined, in other sources, as a pleasurable or satisfying experience.

According to the root words of happy in scripture, none of which are used in conjunction with the word joy or the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, it is not comparable to the world’s definition of happy or happiness!

Happiness is a state of being happy; satisfied; feeling enjoyment. It’s a feeling.

Happy and happen are formed from the same root word –hap-, meaning chance, fortune, luck.

We feel happy if something good, fortunate, lucky is happening to us; it is a state of being happy or satisfied. However, this demonstrates to us that happiness, according to the world’s definition, is subjective to right now and is determined by our circumstances. It is fleeting. It’s temperamental.

In the above scriptures shared, do any of those sound like situations that would feel good? Or that we would want to pursue in an effort to achieve happiness?

Do any of those scriptures suggest we can use “happiness” and “joy interchangeably as if they mean the same?

No.

Unspeakable Joy

Joy, on the other hand, spiritual joy, comes from the same Greek word family as Charis, Charisma, and Eucharisteo. We’ll get into what each of those words are towards the end, but for now, Joy, is known as chara (khar-ah’).

Chara is a Greek noun word meaning joy, gladness; the joy received; the cause or occasion of joy. Chara is translated 59 times using the words “joy, gladness, joyful, joyous, joyfulness, joyfully, greatly.”

Joy is also known as chairo (khah’-ee-ro) in the Greek text, meaning to rejoice, be glad; to rejoice exceedingly; to be well. This verbial form of the word joy is translated 74 times in the King James Version of the Bible.

Unlike happiness, as we learned, which is a feeling dependent on your circumstances, the Fruit of the Spirit, joy, is both a feeling and action; noun and verb.

Joy is a mental choice before it is a feeling.

Joy is a decision to look at your circumstances with hope, reassurance and peace that leads to a verbial joy of rejoicing.

Greek Word Family

Remember when I said Chara, Charis, Charisma and Eucharisteo are all part of the same Greek word family? Stay with me here-

Charis means grace. The word grace literally means favor in scripture. Grace is God’s divine favor for the lost.

Favor is a blessing, a gift; charisma. Favor is an act of kindness beyond what is due- God’s grace to us is an extension of kindness and compassion translated into actions that releases His enabling power in our lives. We do not deserve His favor yet He still gives graciously and abundantly- charis.

By expressing the verb-tense of the word joy, we acknowledge the power, authority, and sovereignty of God and all He has done and will continue to do for those who were called according to His purpose.

So those who have experienced the grace of God know that our only response to it is joy; gladness; blessedness– chara and eucharisteo (meaning thanksgiving).

Joy, true spiritual joy- joy that comes from the fruit of the Holy Spirit- comes from God for God’s glory. We rejoice and have joy for who He is and what He has done, not because of our doing and not because of our circumstances or luck.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Phil. 4:4

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

“These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:7-9

“Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.”
1 Chronicles 16:27

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”
Psalms 126:3

“But rejoice inasmuch as you participating in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
1 Peter 4:13

“You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.”
Hebrews 10:34

“In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
2 Corinthians 8:2

“Then Jesus told them this parable: Suppose of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost shop until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts in on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Luke 15:3-7

“…This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10

God’s fruit of joy rejoices always, never ceasing. And because the joy of the Lord is our strength, we can persevere, stand firm, and believe His promises despite the circumstances surrounding us.

THAT is the difference between joy and happiness.

Joy is Our Strength

“May God fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 15:13

The joy of the Lord, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding and growing in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Why do you think we need joy and peace as we trust Him?

We live in a fallen world. The enemy of our souls rules this dominion, and in his dominion there is every evil practice, every sorrow, every hateful thing that can ever be.

To ensure believers and followers of Christ can keep the fight of faith, we need His unspeakable joy; we need the Holy Fruit of Joy. In the midst of everything in this world, we need to be able to “rejoice greatly” and approach our days with “gladness” because we know the One we trust is more powerful and all-knowing than the one who inflicts troubles on this world.

Why do we need to overflow with hope as the scripture states?

Life will naturally have the pits; again, the enemy rules this world. He inflicts troubles and our own disobedience brings conflict (or natural consequences) in our life. But through Christ and in Christ, we can abound in joy despite our circumstances and by doing so, our fruit of joy grows to where it can fuel, nurture, and feed other believers in Christ. Remember the Analogy of the Oak Tree?

Finding and Growing Biblical Joy

Recalling that joy is a choice before it is a feeling- where can we find it, or how do we grow in it?

Glad you asked.

This fruit of Joy can be grown in what I am identifying as seven ways (there are more, but for our study’s sake, I’ll go over these):

1. Being in God’s presence
   Read these passages to help you see how His presence exudes joy, hope, gladness, and thanksgiving. Spending time in His Word, walking in His will, and praying is where we sense God’s presence most: Luke 2:10; 1 Peter 1:8; Romans 14:17; Psalms 16:11; 1 Chronicles 16:27; Psalms 5:11
   
   
2. In every season
   The following passages of scripture point to the fact that God’s joy can be found in all seasons of life- good, bad, joyful, hurtful, certain, uncertain, clear and unclear: James 1:2-5; Romans 8:28; Romans 12:11-12; Psalms 9:2; Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; Psalms 1:1-3
   
   
3. Forever. It is never-ending. Never ceasing.
   God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Just like He always was, is and will be- His fruit of joy is the same: Psalms 118:24; Hebrews 10:34-35; Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 John 1:1-4; Proverbs 8:32-36
   
   
4. Trusting God’s future for you
   We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10) and regardless where we find ourselves, we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). We must trust Him and walk in obedience despite unfavorable circumstances: Proverbs 16:20; Psalms 28:7-8; Psalms 30:11; Psalms 126:5-6; Romans 15:13; Psalms 16:11; Psalms 30:5
   
   
5. As a blessing in difficult circumstances
   Joy isn’t like happiness in that we feel it based on our circumstances. Joy is a choice before it is a feeling and it can be through very difficult circumstances we find spiritual joy: Matthew 5:1-12; James 1:2-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; 2 Corinthians 8:1-3; 1 Peter 1:6-8
   
   
6. In illogical circumstances
   Have you ever known a person to have a peace and joy about them even though their life appeared to be in shambles, according to our own definition? Joy can be found (and is expressed) in the most illogical circumstances: 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; 1 Peter 1:6-8; Job 8:20-21; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Proverbs 17:22; Romans 12:11-12; James 1:2-5, 12
   
   
7. Radiating through others (through believers bearing fruit)
   This is not to be mistaken for the worldly “happiness” as we have come to learn it- this is a true, deep rooted branch that is bearing the holy fruit of joy- it’s contagious, it’s encouraging, it’s blessedness: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18; Philippians 2:1-7; Hebrews 10:34-39; Psalms 51:8; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Philemon 1:7
   
   

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