Count it All Joy

There is a difference between happiness and joy:
Happiness is defined as good fortune, pleasure, contentment.
Joy, on the other hand, is the emotion of great delight caused by something.

Did you catch that?
Joy is caused by something.

In John 16 : 24 Jesus tells us, "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."
That is our something; it's as simple as that - to ask.
Often times, we think joy comes from circumstances and good things that happen to us, but that is happiness.
Joy, comes from the Lord and Him, alone.
James wrote in James 1:2 that we should "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials."
"I have to consider a trial joy? That's absurd." That's what happiness would say, because happiness is determined by circumstances. Joy is forever and joy is eternal, because it comes from The One who is forever and eternal. You can't get it anywhere else.

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." - Nehemiah 8:10b

So ask for joy!

Best thing is that once you have it, according to John 16:22b "your joy no one will take from you."

Those words are from Jesus, so they are a promise. Hold on to your joy, because no one really has the power to take it. 

His joy is forEVer.