Joy- a feeling of great happiness
Happiness- The feeling of pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation, etc.
Christian joy is more a state of being than an emotion; it is the result of choice. Joy is the fruit of a right relationship with God; it is not something we can create by our own efforts.
-Sarah Koontz, What Is Christian Joy?, October 13, 2020, livingbydesign.org
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23a New Living Translation (NLT)
Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the
word and in the world.
-Jon Piper, How Do You Define Joy?, July 25, 2015, desiringgod. org
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
Acts 16:25-28 New International Version (NIV)
The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household were baptized.
Acts 16: 34 (NIV)
Although joy can naturally arise from happy circumstances, there are many reasons for Christians to rejoice, even when life is full of suffering and difficulty. We rejoice because God has delivered us from sin. We rejoice because God is good, and right, and just. We rejoice because God invites us to be in His family.
-Sarah Koontz
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:46-55 (NIV)
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:6-11 English Standard Version (ESV)