So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me… But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. Ecclesiastes 2:9,11 (NLT)
The joy of the Lord is your strength, according to Nehemiah 8:10, but this joy is something you have to develop. Going after temporary highs and happy feelings just doesn’t cut it.
When you go after joy and happiness the wrong way, it burns up precious time and energy. It ends up leaving you disappointed because the good feelings are only temporary. Possessions, for example, don’t bring joy. You can buy a new car or boat and it will give you some excitement, but excitement is not the same as joy.
Activities can’t bring you true joy either. It’s great to go out with friends and enjoy a fun evening. In fact, building and enjoying relationships is vital in life! However, your relationships aren’t your source of joy. And without this deeper sense of joy, the happiness that fun activities and relationships bring is only fleeting.
Another major way people seek happiness is through status, but this just becomes another burden to bear. If you’re not happy before you get some kind of title or recognition in your job, community or church, you won’t be happy afterward either.
Possessions, status and success don’t produce deep, long-lasting joy. They don’t necessarily destroy joy either. You can have all of those things, but just remember that joy needs to be developed on the inside. There are Biblical principles can apply to walking out a life of joy, and when you do, your joy will continue to grow no matter what comes your way.