Joy to the World

Joy a simple three letter word that is so big. Joy is so much bigger than its bigger cousin five letter word Happy or nine letter word Happiness. Much of our lives are rooted in the Pursuit of Happiness, one of our unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence. But I would humbly submit to you it should be the Gift of Joy. Happiness is is an emotion we all search and strive for. Like the philosophy of Bob Marley song “Don’t worry be Happy” so famously sung by Bobby McFerrin.

Joy is the emotion greater more extreme than happiness. Because happiness is an emotion in which we “experience feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense pleasure,” whereas joy “is a stronger, less common feeling than happiness.” We experience joy when we achieve selflessness to the point of personal sacrifice

Therefore we ought to except C S Lewis’ definition of Joy as “an unsatisfied desire which itself is more desirable than any other satisfaction”. He specifically differentiated Joy from Happiness and Pleasure, saying that “Joy has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them [Happiness and Pleasure]; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again”.

Rick Warren defines: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

“The World looks for Happiness through Self-Assertion. The Christian knows that Joy is found in Self-Abandonment. If man will let himself be lost for my sake Jesus said, “He will find his true self” Elisabeth Elliot

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:10-11

So my wish today is “Joy to the World”. No matter how bad the pandemic, the riots, the despair, and all the trails that we face get. We are all children of God and his joy can make our joy complete.