Happiness and Joy is there a difference

[abide]

I asked my blble lesson teacher at church if there is a difference between JOY and HAPPINESS. He said they are just the same, two others agreed.

I believe that happiness is kind of physical when dealing with things that we can purchase or the satisfaction of achieving something.

Joy on the other hand is a kind of peace DESPITE difficult times. It comes from God.

On the surface it looks as though the two are synonomous.

Your thoughts please.

 

[Fedusenko]

The word happy originally meant good fortune, not an emotion. The pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of good luck, or favorable odds, or good preparation (h).

 

[Carolyn]

I had heard what you said, too. But when I looked up the Greek, joy is exultation while happy is supremely blest. For instance, the happy can be used instead of blessed in the beatitiudes. And when the angel said behold I bring you tidings of great joy, it could be great exultation or great rejoicing.
So, while joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit, and in that way you are right, happiness might depend on something we do or on circumstances and joy on something God has done?? This is something I want to explore more. Now you have me pondering. I do believe that joy is something that is not transient.

 

[Fedusenko]

From Merriam-Webster

happy - 1: favored by luck or fortune : fortunate <a happy coincidence>

Middle English, from hap
First Known Use: 14th century

hap- 1hap noun \ˈhap\
1
: happening 1
2
: chance, fortune

And according to dictionary.com (owned by the same company i think) this is the origin of the y at the end of the word.

-y1  
a native English suffix of adjectives meaning “characterized by or inclined to†the substance or action of the word or stem to which the suffix is attached: juicy; grouchy; rumbly; dreamy.

 

[Blev]

Happiness depends on outward circumstances, but joy is from the Lord which comes from within our spirit. There will always be problems as long as we live in this world and they are not always pleasant. But we can always have joy in the fact that we have a close relationship with Jesus, that He loves us and is always with us, He helps us with every situation in this life and that we are on our way to heaven!

 

[abide]

Happiness depends on outward circumstances, but joy is from the Lord which comes from within our spirit. There will always be problems as long as we live in this world and they are not always pleasant. But we can always have joy in the fact that we have a close relationship with Jesus, that He loves us and is always with us, He helps us with every situation in this life and that we are on our way to heaven!

Your comments are true