Joy, my gift; Happiness, my choice

I'm going to tell you a little secret. But unlike most secrets you'd have to pass it along. Here it is... "Happiness is a choice". Some people see happiness as a destination, a place where all of their desires are fulfilled. They'd say, "When I get that car I want then I'll be happy", or "when I find Mr. Right then I'll be happy". They see happiness as a destination that they hope to arrive at when certain needs are met. But here is the truth, if you are not happy with whatever you have now or whatever situation you find yourself, you will not be happy when you arrive at your preconceived destination.Some people also delegate the responsibility of their happiness to someone else. They expect their parents, boss, spouse, kids, a song or even television show to make them happy. Why would anyone what to assign such an important and delicate matter to someone else? Don't get me wrong, these people can contribute to you happiness but they can never be the main source. Happiness is a choice. You choose to be happy despite the odds.As Christians there is a joy that comes with our salvation. Joy is a gift of God's Spirit. Joy is basically a greater degree of happiness. Joy is an attitude of the heart and is not based on external stimuli. Whilst happiness is a choice, joy is a gift that comes from within. Joy is more than an emotion, it is an energy, it is so powerful that people can feel it. Have you ever noticed people that walk into a room and just light it up? If you would pay attention You would notice that there is a smile on their face. The energy from their joy is what lights up the room. Certain conditions you find yourself may be particularly unhappy, but regardless of the situation choose to be happy. Every morning wake up and say "I choose happiness".Happiness fuels you to live, to work, to love , and to do everything you need to do to live a full life. Don't miss out on this full life by being unhappy.

The Joy of The Lord is our strength.... Nehemiah 8:10