“Hidden under that English translation blessed is the Greek word makarios. This is not the usual word, evlogitos, which literally means “blessed” (as in having a blessing pronounced on one). Makarios is a word from the ancient world that instead referred to the blissful life of the gods in their heavenly realm. It is also used in the Scripture to refer to the joy, the glory, the happiness, the unity, and the love that the faithful angels share with God. Thus, the part of the Lord’s prayer that prays that His will should be done “on earth as it is in heaven” is precisely a prayer that He would extend this same blissful happiness to those on earth.” (Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick)
“Happiness is an emotion that comes and goes. But joy is a lasting state of mind and heart. Suffering and hardship ruin our happy moods. But joy endures in good times and bad. Thus, the letter of James says,“ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1;2-3). Joy is the life raft that can keep us afloat through the stormy seas of life…pray for lasting joy rather than temporary happiness.” (Fr. Basil)
“Joy in Christ is not a kind of mundane happiness or delight. As the Apostle Paul says of the Thessalonians who endured affliction, it is “with joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thes 1:6). Joy comes into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” (Dynamis 11/23/2021)
“To desire what is good for oneself and to seek prosperity or happiness is part of man’s nature, and therefore it is not a sin or vice. But we need to know that here on earth there has not been, and is not, and never will be, true and perfect happiness and prosperity; for all our prosperity and happiness are only in God.” (St. Innocent of Alaska)
“…joy isn’t found by means of human inventiveness, imagination or even religiosity. Pain’s abolished and joy is revealed through our essential relationship with Christ as God and human person. He it is who’s the assuager of pain and the cause and source of joy. This is why at every wound, at every pain, at every storm of life, our gaze should be fixed firmly on him; our absolute trust in his providence should be unwavering; and our recourse to his love should be the only path we take. And this not merely so that we can bear any unhappiness and pain but that ‘your sorrow will be turned into joy’ (John 16, 20).” (Metropolitan Ieronymos of Larisa and Tyrnavos)
“Joy requires single-mindedness. The world is full of reasons to be sad or distressed, but beauty and goodness also abound. Which to look at? What you see is what you get.” (Mike Mason)
"You cannot command yourself to be joyful, but you can choose where to focus. You can choose to focus on the bad things in your life. And if you do, you will be gloomy and depressed. But if you choose to focus on the Lord, you're going to rejoice with God's kind of joy, regardless of what is bad in your life. So, you can't get up in the morning and command yourself, 'I think I'll choose to be joyful today.' But you can say this, 'I choose to focus on the Lord today, on how great He is, on how much He loves me, on what wonderful things he has done for me.' And when you deliberately choose to focus on the Lord, you'll find that you will always have a great reason to be joyful." (Fr. Anthony Coniaris)
“He is Joy and will not enter a dwelling that is full of gloom and sadness, just as a hard-working bee will not enter a place that is full of smoke. But if you become carefree and give yourself over to His will, He will come and dwell in you again.” (Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica)
“You should learn to love little things. Always try to be modest and simple in everything. When the soul is mature, God will give it peace. The Lord looks upon us and is pleased when we yearn after His peace. Until such time as the soul is mature enough to receive the Lord, He will only sometimes allow it to see and sense that He is present everywhere and fills all things. These are moments of indescribable joy.” (Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica)
“Foretastes of that joy are given to us now, and if they fill our souls with such sweetness, well-being and happiness, what shall we say of that joy which has been prepared in heaven for those who weep here on earth?” (St. Seraphim of Sarov)
“The Lord Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He has come to establish deep, abiding joy in His people. At the Last Supper, He says: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (Jn 15:11). He speaks of the joy that cannot be diminished by the instability of this present life…. let us anchor ourselves to an abiding source of joy: the eternal God. In Him we need not fear the ups and downs of life: “Behold, God is my Savior and Lord. I will trust in Him and be saved by Him. I will not be afraid, for the Lord is my glory and my praise. He has become my salvation” (Is 12:2).” (Dynamis 10/4/2018)
“...I had been equally wrong in supposing that I desired Joy itself. Joy itself, considered simply as an event in my own mind, turned out to be of no value at all. All the value lay in that of which Joy was the desiring. And that object, quite clearly, was no state of my own mind or body at all.” (C. S. Lewis)
“What is your source of self-worth? Where do you rejoice in your life—your career, education, accomplishments, or your children? Your relationship with God should be such a priority in your life that you draw your self-worth from that vital connection. He is the source of joy that will bring healing to every other relationship you have.” (Father Barnabas Powell)
“Don’t let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to Him.” (Life Application Study Bible, Philippians 1:6)
“Happiness is transitory. It typically depends on circumstance. It is more grounded in self-will, meaning that we are happy when something we want to happen actually happens the way we want. But when something happens contrary to what we want, we often lose our feeling of happiness and it turns to sorrow, anger, anxiety, or even depression. Joy is permanent. It transcends circumstance. It is grounded in God’s will because joy is based on a continual growing relationship with Him. The deeper our union with Christ the more our joy becomes complete (John 15:9-11, 1 John 1:1-4).” (Sacramental Living Ministries)