Joy and happiness are similar emotions but they are not the same. Joy is inner security that tells your brain “everything is fine.” Happiness is momentary and does not produce the same effects on our brain. Joy is an emotion that occurs when you know you are loved and accepted. The unconditional love of God produces Joy in the human brain. This emotion is easy for children, it is evident that they know some mystery that we adults do not know and it is about the eyes. Children look for connection by searching for the eyes of their parents and even strangers. They always seek a visual connection, and laugh when they feel joy. In recent years, scientists have discovered what the Bible was saying for two thousand years. Joy occurs in an area of your brain called the prefrontal cortex and joy is unleashed when you meditate, pray, and praise God. Another way for people to feel the precious emotion is when they are part of a community. Reaching a goal or fulfilling a dream also produces joy. When a human being intentionally chooses to think of positive things such as love, joy is produced by your brain and makes neurological pathways for more of the same emotion. That’s why people who suffer from depression are saddened because they don’t produce the chemicals serotonin, dopamine, and endorphin. Negative thoughts and emotions have turned off the production of such chemicals. There are moments like in my case that depression can lead you to alcohol and drug addiction in search of happiness or joy. It’s as if you want to do anything to alter your reality. Chemical happiness is fictitious and very dangerous. In the Bible, the word joy is quoted 18 times in the book of Philippians. In the same book is the biblical passage Philippians 4:8 which says: And now, beloved brethren, one more thing to finish. Focus on all that is true, all that is honorable, all that is just, all that is beautiful and all that is admirable. Think of excellent and praiseworthy things. God has always known, the secret is in our way of thinking. It is not easy to think like this, we have been conditioned by the news and by negative reports and we always return to the toxic thoughts that hurt us. A victory I have had in this area I owe to the process of inner healing. I looked for a program to heal my thoughts, emotions and habits and finally knew what it was like to feel peace. In God there is always hope, he always helps us to activate our faith. Spending time with loved ones and reading the Bible to help us change our way of thinking, will make us realize, only God can satisfy the hunger in our soul. Then, we will feel that treasured emotion called joy.
