Joy

President Nelson said "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives."  A friend of mine posted this on Facebook, and they got a comment that said something to the effect of "That's probably true, but a lot of people suffer." My friend replied "Good point.  It's hard to focus on Him all the time, so it's something we have to work on and hopefully we'll find joy along the way."  The other person replied back "People suffer at the hands of others.  They can't focus on Christ when they are starving and abused."

That got me thinking.  What does it mean to have joy?  I thought of something someone said in church several weeks ago "You don't have to be euphoric all the time to be a happy person."  I thought of a scripture we read in Sunday School today "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."  Then, as I was typing the previous paragraph, I had the thought "What about Alma and Amulek?"

They were imprisoned, beaten, and starving, and yet they never ceased to remember God and to call on Him.  They could focus on Christ when they were starving and abused.

"And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance"

Joseph Smith in Liberty jail: "O God, where art thou?  And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?"

And Christ in Gethsemane: "Father, if thou be willing, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done."

Alma and Amulek were given the strength to break their bonds.  Joseph Smith was given comfort that his sufferings would be but a small moment.  Christ was strengthened by an angel.  All were suffering at the hands of others.  All remembered God and plead with Him for deliverance.  And all were heard, and answered, and, eventually, had joy.

Comments

  1. Grandma PJune 28, 2019 at 7:43 PM

    We really need to support each other through this life. How much more difficult it would have been if Joseph Smith didn't at least have his friends. If Alma and Amulek didn' t have each other. They could have made it, of course, but it is so much easier with support.

    Years ago I wrote this:
    The cycle of Life

    Sometimes, like everyone else,
    I feel the burdens and difficulties of life
    Getting too heavy to bear.

    Then, often, a loving brother or sister
    Who is stronger at that moment,
    Will share a thought,
    A word or two
    About their understanding of this Second Estate.

    Those moments bring to my soul
    Not a full knowledge,
    But a feeling of familiarity,
    A real feeling of the existance
    of our pre-mortal home.
    At these times
    i feel taught, once again,
    That we really are just brother's and sisters.
    That we really were taught together
    By our Eternal Father and Mother.

    I can almost feel
    Father and Mother saying:
    "please remember- care for one another.
    only together can you make it"

    then- A kiss good -bye
    and off we go
    Confident we'll do just fine.

    And...
    Now that we find the map
    And study the trail marked out for us,
    We find it truely,
    Very straight and very narrow.
    and every once in a while,
    our confidence slips just a bit.
    and deep down inside
    We tire of it all.

    And
    sometimes, like everyone else,
    I feel the burdens and difficulties of life
    Getting too heavy to bear.

    Then, often, a loving brother.....
    June 1982
    Grandma P

    ReplyDelete

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