“Have Joy”
RS Lesson: January 2, 2011
By Paige Waldron
Our Heavenly Father is aware of us and what we need!
How long has it been since you shouted for joy?
Sister Barbara W. Winder:
“In the Grand Council in heaven in our premortal existence, all the sons and daughters of God ‘shouted for joy’. Our Father in Heaven gave us the opportunity to be born, to assume the responsibilities of mortality, which offered the opportunity of a ‘fullness of joy’. But which also entailed risks of disobedience, sin, and heartache. Yet as our Father’s plan unfolded and we became aware of our divine potential for future immortality, we did all shout for joy.”
Now that we are here on earth, how do we feel about the statement, “men are, that they might have joy”?
Joy is:
--An emotion of the spirit, not a casual or shallow feeling
--More than happiness, an ultimate sensation of well-being
--The gospel declares joy to be part of our divine destiny.
The opposite of joy is misery, which is:
--more than unhappiness, sorrow, or suffering
--the ultimate state of disharmony with God and his laws
--both joy and misery are eternal emotions
Opposition and trial are important to our ability to feel joy. In 2 Nephi 2:23 we find this phrase: “having no joy, for they knew no misery.”
“We may not feel deeply enough to know joy unless our hearts have been hallowed out by sorrow. A heart may not be big enough to know real joy until it has been stretched and pulled by trials and hard things.” [Barbara Workman, “The Quest for Joy”, Ensign, July 2005]
Our capacity to feel joy actually increases as we righteously endure.
In Alma, the account of Ammon and his brethren while journeying in the land of Nephi uses terms that often describe life, “their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible joy.”
In an Ensign article in July 2005, Sister Barbara Workman suggests a phrase to help us endure and make the best of living in a telestial world. “Joy is learning to “make friends with mortality.”
A great example of doing this is a story from the life of Ezra Taft Benson’s aunt:
“One day in Whitney, Idaho seeds were scarce. She had just finish planting her peas when she looked out the kitchen window to see a rooster going down the row, scratching out her peas, and eating them. She ran outside, grabbed him, chopped off his head, opened him up, took out her peas, replanted them, and cooked him for supper.”
No doubt she felt great joy when the peas where harvested and on her family’s table!
In times of trial and opposition we may not wake up each morning bursting with joy but we can remember that “hard” isn’t negative, and get ourselves up each morning with the understanding that we are increasing our capacity to have joy later, accepting trial and hardship as gifts and blessings from our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ!
There are great “thieves” of joy:
Discouragement--Satan’s purpose is to make men miserable, discouragement is one of his greatest tools. When we yield to his enticing we are on the way to the same miserable destiny as he.
Envy (why can’t I be like you?) & pride (why can’t you be like me?)--Comparing is measuring and it destroys joy and to mock another’s weaknesses is not acceptable to the Lord and cannot bring joy.
In contrast, our Heavenly Father created us to have joy, he wants us to be happy in this life. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “happiness is the object and design of our existence.” All the things of the earth were created for our happiness.
What brings you joy?
Ultimately, it is up to us . . . to choose, joy or sorrow. To choose joy becomes our special challenge.
How do we choose joy?
By recognizing, enjoying and pondering the blessings we’re given.
By Keeping the commandments and repenting when necessary.
“We live in a critical time in the world’s history. Satan and his forces are busy. His temptations are relentless, deceiving many, sometimes even the very elect. He would lead us to believe that gospel standards which we know to be good –virtue, honesty, morality, courtesy, industry, cleanliness of mind and body—are no longer important. Let me reaffirm that the Lord’s eternal values are still true. The ways of the world may have changed, but the commandments of our Heavenly Father, given for our welfare, are still in force, and true joy comes only from doing his will.” [Barbara W. Winder General Conference Oct. 1987]
“I testify to you of the lasting happiness and ultimate joy of those who exercise faith in God and keep his commandments. I urge each of you to seek the joy that comes from keeping the commandments of God . . . . I testify to the truth of God’s promise that the faithful “shall enter into the joy of the Lord, and shall inherit eternal life.” [Dallin H. Oaks]
Joy is God’s reward for righteous living!
Russell M. Nelson gives 3 additional steps to achieve real joy in life:
1. Courtesy to companions in life. We are admonished “to bear one another’s burdens, . . . comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and . .. stand as witnesses of God at all times”
Joy is derived from service-- I had the opportunity earlier this month to take a meal to a neighbors family whose 18 year old daughter had just passed away. After leaving their home to walk back across the street I experienced an overwhelming feeling of joy and gratitude for my blessings and family. It seemed at that moment that I could really see that the windows of heaven were open and pouring out blessings for my family.
2. Self esteem, well deserved. We each have divine potential and God-given gifts and talents. We are created in His image. When we focus less on our imperfections and more on our strengths they are able to come to the forefront.
3. Love of God. The crowning attribute that leads to joy is love of God.
Despite all we can do, we cannot have a fullness of joy in this life only through our own efforts.
Only through the atoning sacrifice of Christ can we receive a remission of our sins and have a fullness of joy.
“Our Savior’s Atonement was a choice for joy. Not long after Gethsemane He gathered the little children on the American continent around Him, blessed them, prayed for them, and invited angels to encircle them. Observing the faith of the people, He said, ‘My joy is full’. He had come from the ultimate agony in Jerusalem to a fullness of joy in the Americas. We will never know His agony, but He chose to accomplish the Atonement so we could eventually experience a fullness of joy.” [Barbara Workman, “The Quest for Joy”, Ensign, July 2005]
His promise is . . .
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”
His gift is not freedom from hard work or sorrow or stretching but the surety that every ounce of effort in his name is an investment in joy.
“Men are that they might have joy.” Is one of the greatest of God’s revelations.
Joy is more than happiness. It is the ultimate sensations of well-being. It comes from being complete and in harmony with our Creator and his eternal laws.
May we all choose joy and do everything in our power to accomplish it. . .
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