Both: thinking it is a positive attitude and one of the (possible) results is happiness. I do say "possible" though, somedays things just don't go right no matter what you do!
Having said that, I don't believe happiness is a right...
I think that some people also confuse "joy" for "happiness." As Christians, we can (and should) have joy in any situation or circumstance because we have the Holy Spirit living in us; we might not always be happy, though, because some situations and circumstances are unpleasant at times. Joy is a choice, but happiness is a fleeting emotion that I would tend to think is more of a by-product of particularly good circumstances, events, situations, etc.
Mind over matter is great. But I sorta feel that only the Lord can put the bounce in our step... :bouncy:. of course its a choice to receive the gift, and a choice to reject it. And the byproduct of receiving the Lord's gift may very well be happiness.
Happiness is lurking behind every bush, :excited: every tree, every bite of ice-cream.... but sometimes we can choose to be numb to it.
I've been numb to happiness, and its kinda like having a cold during the heat of summer. Super weird.
I like what BCPianoGal said. :applause: And the joy of the Lord is our strength.
There is a prophecy about Christ�s joy in Psalm 45:7-- �Therefore God, Your God, has set You above Your companions by anointing You with the oil of joy.� Joy is promised by Jesus Christ for all believers in Him, His love, and His commandments. Jesus Christ spoke of His joy in John 15:10-11 and 17:13 in which He claimed the ability or power to bestow His joy into His believers. Joy is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit for believers (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus Christ�s followers should be joyful people. It is the best testimony about the wonderfulness of being a Christian: that one is able to be very positive in a very negative world. So many individuals are usually sad or indifferent; just surviving. If you would work for someone who is joyful, wouldn�t you probably become joyful? Luke 10:21 tells us that Jesus was full of joy through the Holy Spirit after seventy-two disciples returned from to witness. If we have the same joy, we will want to praise God. Jesus Christ did in that verse. No one will be the same as before after committing his or her whole being to Jesus and knowing Him as personal Savior and Master.
It is not easy to describe this joy which the Apostle Peter referred to in 1 Peter 1:8 as an �inexpressible and glorious joy�. It is far more than the happiness which relationships with humans and animals can give. Certainly there are legitimate pleasures in the world that can be enjoyed more fully when one has the joy of the Holy Spirit. But the joy of the Holy Spirit is set apart from all the levels of purely human joy. It is the result of faith in God. Romans 15:13 says, �May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit�. Divine joy is much better than the best happiness in secular situations/activities. In English, the word �happiness� is not in the KJV Bible and the twenty-five verses with the word �happy� give no indication that happiness is from the Godhead. Doesn�t that sound exciting to you? Don�t settle for less than joy just because you are lonely. God�s best for us is always worth waiting for.
Joy from the Holy Spirit is not dependent on our outward circumstances. Also knowing about the joy in Heaven should help all Christians to tolerate any kind of persecution. Also, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ�s hope for future joy in Heaven sustained Him in His painful crucifixion. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus �endured the cross for the joy set before Him�. The Apostle Paul recognized this when he wrote to the Thessalonians: �In spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit�. Spiritual joy endures even in hardships, because it is developed from within by the Holy Spirit. In Philippians 4:4, just before he was to be beheaded for teaching Christianity, the Apostle Paul wrote, �Rejoice in The Lord always, and again I say rejoice.� When I share that tough command, I add, �In any situation, things could always be worse and there is always something to be thankful for, right?� So having joy is a matter of choice and proper relationship with God. A famous anagram is appropriate:
