Spoonie Mom Blog

Some say wealth, a bigger home, exotic vacations, the dream job, the perfect soulmate, or even a slimmer silhouette will yield happiness. But happiness is affected by external factors, so what happens when circumstances change, as they sometimes do?

The feeling of happiness is good, yes. But living with joy—real joy is heaven! What is joy? Unlike happiness, joy is defined as a more profound and lasting state of being that can endure even the most difficult and unfavorable circumstances. Joy is not fair-weathered, fleeting, or unstable. Real joy comes from God and can only be obtained through a personal relationship with Him and His abiding presence in one's life. Living and walking daily in the Spirit of God produces fruit, and joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). So even if the money runs out, dreams fail, love is lost, and things turn downward—living with joy enables us to have peace and hope no matter the circumstances (Habakkuk 3:17, 18).

Let's be clear—life is a gift. But life, although beautiful, is a myriad of uncertainties, challenges, and, yes, even disappointment. Chasing happiness is like grasping the wind, eventually leaving one empty-handed. However, having joy that overflows from within is the secret sauce to living life. The Bible says the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), and with His strength, we can do all things! Jesus came that you may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10, ESV). I pray you will draw from Christ’s well, which never runs dry. Oh, what joy!