Discovering the Essence of Joy

Going Beyond Happiness

I was sitting beside my pool the other day, breathing in the fresh air and staring off into space when I realized something: I was at complete peace. I wasn’t happy, not in the conventional way, but I was joyful and content; my spirit was light. I felt a wave of surprise because a lot has happened to me and my family this past year—things that could steal anyone’s happiness and cause one to question their faith. The more these things happened, the more I learned something we discover when we quiet the noise and sit for a moment: happiness is fleeting and external, but joy is internal.

There was a time I thought I could find happiness and contentment in the next exciting thing—a new house, a new car, traveling to tropical islands, even shopping for that next pair of shoes. Checking these off made me happy in the moment, but the feeling never lasted. It wasn’t fulfilling, because I was depending on things to keep me in a constant state of happiness. But there’s no life without chaos, want, and misery, and all of us are born with a void that needs to be filled. Many of us try to fill it with the wrong things, and that leaves us with a deep sense of discontent.

Do you find yourself trying to fill your void with things or people—believing you’ll be happier when you finally get this or meet that person? Have you done all of that and still felt empty, unfulfilled, restless, as if you’re constantly in motion—seeking but never at peace? Then go beyond seeking happiness and pursue joy instead. Many use the words interchangeably, but joy is actually what brings true, deep contentment.

Joy has nothing to do with achievement, wealth, or status. It’s the uncovering of true purpose and pursuing it not ambitiously, but selflessly.

Joy is alignment. It is accepting who you truly are and nurturing that person—even if it doesn’t match who you thought you’d be. Joy is acceptance. It is not chasing; it is becoming. Real joy goes beyond monetary pleasure and leads to lasting contentment and peace.

Joy is also not the result of anything external or material. In fact, people who chase material things often feel less happy than those who don’t. Joy has nothing to do with what you have or what happens around you, and everything to do with what’s happening within you.

I often think about the book of Philippians—known as “the epistle of joy.” Despite being the most joyful book in the Bible, it was written by a prisoner, the Apostle Paul. He had nothing to be happy about, and even as a free man he owned very little. Yet he was at peace, joyful, and content because he was living his purpose—preaching the gospel—even when arrested, even in prison.

More money doesn’t lead to happiness. Social media and Hollywood might suggest otherwise, but the things money can buy don’t last. We lose them, and then begin the hunt for another.

Joy isn’t expensive and it doesn’t demand anything from you but self-reflection, personal growth, and purpose. Joy calls you to prioritize self-discovery and release the need for validation and praise from people who are often just as lost as you. Why spend time, money, and effort chasing happiness—something so fleeting—when you have the power within you to be truly at peace and content?

Perhaps we shy away from joy because it is often discovered in the midst of tough, seemingly impossible situations. Joy can be incomprehensible. Think of Paul—stuck in prison, yet joyfully writing letters to encourage and comfort his friends. It makes no sense, and yet it makes all the sense. That’s what joy brings: the ability to find the tiniest light in the darkest places, and the grace to be your truest self. I have walked through very hard seasons and still discovered stillness, peace, and joy where I didn’t expect it.

I now know I don’t need people or things to make me happy. I need the truth—and permission from myself—to be who God called me to be. That is where joy is found. And more than anything, I pray you discover that for yourself too.

Much Love,

Shyra