Joy is Better than Happiness
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
4 Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. 5 Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. 8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9
Memory Verse
Galatians 5:22-23
22 God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.
What do you really want? Maybe a puppy or the latest video game? Most people say what they really want is just to be happy! But what does it really mean to be happy? Galatians 5:22-23 says that God’s Spirit makes us happy. Some Bibles use the word “joy” instead. (And I like that better!) But what’s the difference between happiness and joy?
Happiness is a feeling we get when something good happens, like playing with a friend or going on a fun trip. But joy is different. It’s something we choose every day with God’s help. It’s a tool we use when we feel sad or scared. Maybe you’ve heard people say that the joy of the Lord is our strength. That means choosing joy can help us feel strong, even when things are tough.
Joy isn’t just a feeling; it’s knowing that God is always good and working in our lives. Even on bad days, our joy doesn’t disappear because God never changes. We can always have joy when we obey God and trust his love! Joy reminds us that Jesus is with us, helping us through any hard times.
Philippians 4:4 says, “Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad.” This isn’t just a suggestion. It’s something God wants for us because he knows joy can bring light even in the darkest times.
Prayer
God, thank you for being the source of our joy. Help us choose joy every day. Thank you for being with us even when things are tough. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Amen.Related Resources
Ron VandenBurg
Senior Producer of Children’s Ministry at ReFrame Ministries
Ron VandenBurg joined the ReFrame Ministries team in 2014. He plans and develops projects specifically for the spiritual formation of children. Before coming to ReFrame, Ron taught middle school for 27 years. Ron completed a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Teaching, Learning, and Development at Brock University. Ron and Rachel have five fantastic adult children and two grandchildren and reside in Ontario.