Does God’s promise of joy mean we will always feel happy?

Philippians 4:4, 12Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! . . . I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

James 1:2When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.

God does not promise continual happiness; in fact, the Bible assures us that we will have problems because of the kind of world we live in. But God does promise lasting joy for all who loyally follow him. This kind of joy stays with us despite our problems because we know God will help us through them and will one day take them away. We can have lasting joy even when we have temporary unhappiness. This is what it means to live with an eternal perspective.