The Declaration of Independence guarantees us the God-given right to . . .

The Declaration of Independence guarantees us the God-given right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  What is not guaranteed, of course, is our success in obtaining such happiness.  We can pursue it all we wish, but obtaining happiness is not a God-given right.  Indeed, some claim that happiness—at least in the lasting, permanent sense—will always elude us!

The reason for this is that happiness is an emotion brought about by the circumstances of our lives.  As the word itself implies, happiness is associated with happenings, or in some cases, with happenstance (luck, good fortune, etc.).  If things are going well in our lives, then most of us tend to be happy.  If things are not going well, then we tend to be unhappy.

By way of contrast, joy is not an emotion at all.  According to the Apostle Paul, it is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  Hence, joy is something that endures; whereas happiness is usually fleeting.  Joy is something that cannot be taken from us; whereas happiness is contingent upon whatever is taking place around us.  It comes and goes depending on the situation.

My guess is that, at some point or another, we have all encountered people who live and breathe sheer joy.  It is a joy that permeates their very being—and get this; it is a joy that neither ebbs nor flows.  It does not matter whether their immediate circumstance is blissful or troublesome.  It makes no difference if the situation they are facing is serene or traumatic.  To be sure, they may not be happy about it; but they still experience a sense of joy, even in the midst of tragedy.

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul reveals that he has learned the great secret of being satisfied with whatever he has.  He knows what it is to have a little, and he knows what it is to have a lot.  He knows what it is to be well-fed, and he knows what it is to go hungry.

Put another way, the external circumstances of his life are no longer determining his level of contentment.  “I am ready to face anything,” he writes, “because of Jesus Christ who strengthens me.”  And knowing that cannot help but bring us joy!