True joy is a deep, enduring state of gladness and peace that flows from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Those who accept Christ experience this profound joy, while those who do not know Him may experience only temporary comfort — a fleeting sense of ease that cannot satisfy the soul’s deepest longings.
1. Joy for Those Who Accept Jesus Christ
When someone accepts Jesus, they receive not only forgiveness of sins but also the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who produces lasting joy.
John 15:11 — "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."
Jesus Himself promises His followers a full, complete joy — a joy rooted in Him and not in changing circumstances.
Romans 15:13 — "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
True joy comes through believing in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, not by worldly things.
1 Peter 1:8 — "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."
Believers experience a joy so profound that words cannot fully describe it — a spiritual reality that sustains them even through trials.
This joy remains even in suffering because it is based on a living relationship with Christ, not on outward circumstances (James 1:2-4).
2. Comfortability Without Christ
Those who do not know Christ may still experience moments of happiness, success, or personal satisfaction. However, this comfort is shallow and temporary. It cannot endure the hardships of life, nor can it address the deepest needs of the soul.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 — "Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure... Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done... and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun."
Solomon had every earthly comfort imaginable but found it all meaningless apart from God.
Matthew 16:26 — "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"
Worldly success and comfort without salvation lead ultimately to eternal loss.
Proverbs 14:13 — "Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief."
Outward happiness can mask an inward emptiness when Christ is absent.
Thus, those who do not know Christ may feel "comfortable" in this life for a time, but without the eternal, sustaining joy that comes from the Spirit, their comfort will ultimately fail them.
Conclusion
In Christ, joy is not just a feeling — it is a living reality rooted in God's eternal promises. It sustains through suffering, strengthens in weakness, and endures forever. Without Christ, comfort is fleeting and ultimately unable to satisfy the human heart. Only in Jesus is true and lasting joy found.