Joy vs. Happiness

For long I have heard sermons and read articles that talk about the difference between Joy and Happiness: Joy is something permanent and Happiness depends on something fleeting and depends on what happens in our lives. How can we be joyful when we are sad ? How can we enjoy something when we are hurting ? It seems highly illogical. Yet the Bible says that we are supposed to have joy which is the fruit of the spirit. That is if we have the holy spirit in us we are supposed to be joyful all the time. Does this mean if we truly have the holy spirit life will be filled only with good things ? If I look at the Bible all the characters went through really bad times in their life when they were filled with spirit: Jesus was crucified in the cross, Paul was imprisoned many times and so was peter. Where they happy in those moments did they really enjoy it ?

I was pondering over it and I thought about the things that make me happy and the things that I enjoy doing. I used to have a friend who said that activities like backpacking are only for masochists. How can a sane man enjoy walking in a forest and living in tents ? During christmas I had the opportunity to take a ride on the roller coaster and I thoroughly enjoyed it. On the journey back I had to take a flight through some choppy weather and I was very nervous about the turbulence and I did not enjoy it at all. This made me ponder about the difference between the 2. In the roller coaster I was sure that it will be over in 2 mins and it was designed for this bumpiness even though the motion made me uneasy I enjoyed the uneasiness because I was assured of the outcome. The same was not true with the turbulence in the aircraft.

I also noticed that I am able to enjoy movies that are tragic as well as movies that are scary. Even though the movie might be able to trigger emotions of happiness/sadness/fear and helplessness I do enjoy it.

When Paul was imprisoned or when Jesus was crucified they were sure of their eternal life. If the holy spirit is in us we are sure of the outcome and this is why joy is possible even amidst emotions of happiness/sorrow and fear. I am hoping and praying that I would be able to stand firm in my faith and beleive that God is sovreign and be able to enjoy the life's journey no matter what I feel emotionally.