Sadly it seems that for many people happiness is hard to find.
The peace that He gives is not like what the world offers—it’s better.
Joy is the very purpose of God’s plan of salvation.
God wants all His children to have as much happiness as possible so He has filled the world with countless sources of wholesome happiness. (Flying, art, music, nature, etc.) But God offers more eternal joy for those who are willing to seek it.
If we seek reasons to doubt or be bitter we will find them.
True joy multiplies when it is shared.
It probably goes without saying that everyone wants to be happy. Nevertheless, it also goes without saying that not everyone is happy. Sadly, it seems that for many people, happiness is hard to find.
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Before we discuss how to find joy, allow me to acknowledge that depression and other difficult mental and emotional challenges are real, and the answer is not simply “Try to be happier.” My purpose today is not to diminish or trivialize mental health issues. If you face such challenges, I mourn with you, and I stand beside you. For some people, finding joy may include seeking help from trained mental health professionals who devote their lives to practicing their very important art. We should be thankful for such help.
This is a good balance of acknowledging mental health challenges while talking about the reality that side from those situations we have great capacity to influence how much we feel joy.
Feeling sad is not a sign of failure. In this life, at least, joy and sorrow are inseparable companions.
Our Father in Heaven has not hidden the path to happiness. It is not a secret. It is available to all!
It is promised to those who walk the path of discipleship, follow the teachings and example of the Savior, keep His commandments, and honor covenants they make with God. What a remarkable promise!
If we are not feeling joy we either need to change or we need help.
We all know people who say that they don’t need God to be happy, that they are happy enough without religion.
I acknowledge and respect these feelings. Our beloved Father in Heaven wants all His children to have as much happiness as possible, so He has filled this world with beautiful, wholesome pleasures and delights, “both to please the eye and … gladden the heart.” For me, flying brought great happiness. Others find it in music, in art, in hobbies, or in nature.
By inviting everyone and sharing the Savior’s good news of great joy, we do not discount any of these sources of joy. We’re simply saying that God has something more to give. A higher and more profound joy—a joy that transcends anything this world offers. It is a joy that endures heartbreak, penetrates sorrow, and diminishes loneliness.
Worldly happiness, by contrast, does not last. It cannot. It is the nature of all earthly things to grow old, decay, wear out, or become stale. But godly joy is eternal, because God is eternal. Jesus Christ came to lift us out of the temporal and replace corruption with incorruption. Only He has that power, and only His joy is perpetual.
I wonder if it is fair to conclude that this higher joy is also called or qualified as peace.
I have learned that if we draw near to God and reach out to touch Him, we can indeed find healing, peace, and joy.
Jesus taught, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Can it be that in our search for joy, the best way to find it is to bring joy to others?
Brothers and sisters, you know and I know this is true! Joy is like a barrel of flour or a jar of oil that will never run out. True joy multiplies when it is shared.
Any “joy” that does not multiply when shared is a false joy.
During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to:
- Spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God.
- Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy.
- Bring joy to others around you.
My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, as you search the word of God for a deeper understanding of God’s eternal plan, accept these invitations, and strive to walk in His Way, you will experience “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” even in the midst of sorrows. You will feel a greater measure of God’s unsurpassable love swelling within your heart. The dawn of celestial light will penetrate the shadows of your trials, and you will begin to taste the unspeakable glories and wonders of the unseen, perfect, heavenly sphere. You will feel your spirit lifting away from the gravity of this world.
I feel like I’m in a better place with regard to joy than I have been in the past but I would still like to make an intentional effort here to see about having more lasting joy.
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