One of the subtle distinctions that often gets lost in modern Christianity is the difference between happiness, blessedness, and joy. We tend to use the words interchangeably, but Scripture uses them in very different ways. Understanding those differences helps make sense of passages that might otherwise seem confusing, especially Jesus' words in the Beatitudes.
When most people speak of happiness, they are referring to an emotional response to favorable circumstances. We are happy when life is going well, our health is good, our relationships are thriving, and our plans are succeeding. There is nothing inherently wrong with happiness. It is one of God's good gifts. Solomon acknowledged that it is God's gift for a man to enjoy the fruit of his labor (Ecc 3:12-13). The problem is that happiness is often tied to conditions that can change overnight. What circumstances give, circumstances can also take away.
Blessedness, on the other hand, is not primarily an emotion. It is a condition of standing in God's favor. This becomes especially clear in the Beatitudes. When Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mat 5:3), He is not saying that the poor in spirit are necessarily happy. A person who has come face to face with his own spiritual bankruptcy may feel profound conviction and sorrow. Yet Jesus says such a person is blessed because God's favor rests upon him and the kingdom belongs to him.
The same pattern runs throughout the Beatitudes. "Blessed are those who mourn" (Mat 5:4). Mourning itself is not pleasant. Jesus is not calling grief a happy experience. He is declaring that those who mourn are recipients of God's favor because "they shall be comforted." Likewise, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake" (Mat 5:10). There is nothing enjoyable about persecution, yet those who endure it for Christ's sake are blessed because "theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
The world's definition of blessedness focuses on comfort, prosperity, power, and success. Jesus turns that idea upside down. In effect, He is saying, "God's favor rests upon these people," even when their circumstances appear difficult from an earthly perspective.
Joy is something different yet again. Joy is the inward gladness that arises from knowing God and trusting His promises. Unlike happiness, joy is not dependent upon favorable circumstances. Unlike blessedness, joy is an experience rather than a standing. Joy grows out of the confidence that we belong to God and that His purposes cannot fail.
That is why Paul could command believers to "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Php 4:4) while writing from prison. His circumstances were hardly pleasant, but his joy was rooted in Christ rather than his surroundings. Peter likewise speaks of believers who "rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" even though they were enduring trials (1 Peter 1:8).
Perhaps the clearest statement comes from Paul's description of Christian ministry:
"sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor 6:10).The world struggles to make sense of that. How can someone be sorrowful and rejoicing at the same time? The answer is that happiness and joy are not the same thing. A believer may not be happy about a cancer diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or some other painful providence. Yet he can still possess joy because he knows the God who holds all things in His hands. He can still rest in the promises of Christ and trust that nothing comes into his life apart from the Father's wise and loving purpose.
So when Jesus says, "Blessed are those who..." He is not merely saying, "Happy are those who..." He is saying something far deeper. He is declaring that these are the people upon whom God's favor rests. Their circumstances may be difficult. Their emotions may fluctuate. Yet they are recipients of divine grace and heirs of divine promises.
In the end, happiness is largely connected to what is happening around me. Blessedness describes my standing before God. Joy is the settled gladness that flows from knowing that, through Christ, I stand in God's favor. That is why a Christian can be blessed even when he is not happy, and can possess joy even in the midst of sorrow. The Beatitudes are not promises of perpetual happiness. They are declarations of God's favor upon those who belong to Him, and from that assurance springs a joy that circumstances can never fully extinguish.
2 comments:
This could be an example of language drift. Perhaps, when Watts wrote, "... happy all the day!" happy was being used as a synonym for blessed. We often run into issues like this in older versions of English. Or perhaps he was indicating a prayer or desire to be happy in Christ all the day.
In truth, I only mentioned Watts as a catalyst for the topic of the differences between "happy," "blessed," and "joy." That's why I said it was only a little issue.
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