People are constantly chasing happiness only to be left with disappointment and frustration. They believe when they achieve a certain goal, purchase a much-anticipated thing, or entering into a meaningful relationship happiness will come. But it is fleeting. Despair can follow when the happiness fades and the mundane returns.
The reason is that happiness is only a temporary emotion. It comes for a while, but fades away. It works in the same way as anger, anxiety, sadness, jealousy, etc. For some reason, people expect a triggering event to make it stick around. It simply doesn't work that way.
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Joy, on the other hand, is pervasive. It is deeper than an emotion, more of a core character quality, a product of the soul. It is present during good times and bad, through feast and famine. It provides strength and comfort during difficult times and is the icing on the cake during good times.
Joy comes with faith. A spirit of hopefulness leads to a joyful response. Joy comes when you choose to think the best and reject destructive patterns of thinking. It is like a faithful friend, a companion even when no one else is around. Joy speaks of contentment. Peacefulness. Love. Joy is encompassing and protecting.
In the darkest hours of life, joy is like a faithful companion that sits and ministers to your heart. It speaks of hope, resilience, and purpose. It provides a drive to get up and keep trying. It brings the reminder that grief is for a season but good times will return.
A choice is required for joy to be activated in your life. You can choose joy or despair. Hope or hopelessness. Faith or destruction. Joy comes when you choose to think the best in yourself and in others. Joy comes when you look beyond your circumstances into something bigger. Joy comes when you choose to love, serve, and give. Joy is bigger than a personal expression, but it ripples out to others. Like a wave of energy being broadcast to the masses, joy is far-reaching and enduring.
Photo by Bekka Mongeau: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-printer-paper-22221/