Sunday, March 30, 2008

Joy

Joy is an essential component of our Heavenly Father’s plan. As I read many scriptures about joy this week, one passage that is a very familiar one, made me realize even more the importance of joy. It is in fact why we are here. 2 Nephi 2 :22-25 reads:

“And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
“And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
“But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

Adam fell to allow each of us to enter this mortal realm. And we are here to have joy. The fall was essential to get us here, but also because it brought opposition into the world. As we learn from the above passage as well, we never would know joy without experiencing misery. We are here in this corrupted, fallen world so that we may ultimately know joy.

As I have studied joy this week in the scriptures, I came to the realization that this one line sums up the entirety of the Lord’s plan. “Adam fell, that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” Therein is referenced the fall, our mortal probation, opposition, the principle of agency, the Atonement, our salvation, and ultimately entering into the Lord’s presence.

So if our purpose is to have joy, how are we to attain this joy? Psalms 16:11 says: “…in thy presence is fullness of joy.” Certainly our ultimate goal is to return to the presence of our Father, wherein our joy will be at its fullest, and we must prove ourselves through the testing and trial of our faith in this mortal existence. Surely this is one aspect of the joy referenced in 2Nephi 2:25. But I believe we are also here to have joy in this life as well as in the life to come. And it is interesting to me that the things that will bring us joy here are the same things that will bring us back into the Lord’s presence to experience the fullness of joy that He has.

There are five things that seemed to stick out as recurring themes in the scriptures about joy. These five principles are how we attain joy in this life and the life to come.
1. Keeping the commandments.
2. The Love of God
3. The Lord’s forgiveness
4. Salvation
5. Ask & ye shall receive

“And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.” (Mosiah 2:41) We know the importance of keeping the Lord’s commandments if we are to have joy. Just as we as loving parents give our children guidelines to protect them and keep them healthy, safe, and happy, so our Heavenly Father has spelled out those things that when obeyed will keep us both physically and spiritually healthy, safe and happy. As we learn in Alma and soon learn from experience, “Wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) Keeping the Lord’s commandments also allows Him to bless us, which in turn brings us joy, both from the actual blessing and also as we feel the love of the Lord through those blessings.

Jesus gave us a promise for our efforts to keep the commandments. In John 15:10-11 He says, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” Our joy will be full as we keep the commandments because we may thereby abide in the love of God.

In Lehi’s dream he came across a tree, whose fruit was most desirable to make one happy. It also was the most sweet of all fruits and was exceedingly white. “And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy.” (1 Nephi 8:12) In later verses we come to know the meaning of this tree. The angel asks Nephi, “Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?
“And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
“And he spake unto me, saying, Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.” (1 Nephi 11:21-23)

The love of God is the source of exceedingly great joy. It is the purest, sweetest, most desirable above all else. It is where we must look if we are to have true joy. Wherein was the love of God manifest? In that He sent His Son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16.)

It is interesting to me that when the angels prophesied and testified of the birth of the Savior they always said, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.” The birth of the Savior was truly the beginning of the source of all joy.

This is true for multiple reasons, one of which being that because of Christ’s atonement, we are given the opportunity to repent of our sins. As we fall short of obeying the Lord’s commandments, our joy is taken away. The love of God is manifest through His Son’s sacrifice for us, through which we may be forgiven for our sins. As we are forgiven, our joy is returned, I believe in an even greater measure. Psalms 30:5 JST expresses this in such a beautiful way:

“For his anger kindleth against the wicked; they repent, and in a moment it is turned away, and they are in his favor, and he giveth them life; therefore, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

This principle is also manifest in the passage referenced in my post about being perfect and the parable of the debtors. As we are forgiven of sin, we come to love the Lord who so fully forgives us. Christ even says, those who are forgiven of the most shall love the Lord all the more. Through the Lord’s forgiveness we come to feel His love more fully and thereby experience true joy.

I love this scripture in Isaiah 12:1-3:

“And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”

Through the atonement of Christ and the repentance made possible thereby, we are able to have joy through His salvation. Not only is this the means by which we may return to our Father’s presence, gaining eternal salvation and fullness of joy. But as we come to understand the atonement and use it in our daily lives and realize our complete dependence upon the Savior for our salvation, we will rejoice at this great gift which He so freely gives. We will feel freed by His ability to save us. Our burden will be lightened, and joy will enter our hearts.

As Christ is preparing His apostles for the time that He shall leave them, he explains that in a little while they shall not see Him and they shall be sorrowful. “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” (John 16:22) I love the thought that when we see the Savior again, we shall rejoice and our joy will never again be taken from us.

Christ goes on in the next two verses to explain a principle with which I was very familiar, but had never really associated with joy. In verses 23-24 He says:

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

We are commanded many times in the scriptures to ask God in faith and we are promised that we will receive. Christ here states that therein will our joy be full. I found this quite interesting. I think D&C 42:61 adds some insight to this.

“If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”

There is much joy to be discovered as we ask of the Lord and receive of His knowledge.

“Men are, that they might have joy.” We are here to experience sorrow that we might know joy. As we experience opposition, we are tested as to whether we will keep the Lord’s commandments. As we do so, we experience the happiness that comes from doing what is right and we feel the love of the Lord and abide in that love as we keep the commandments. This love is the source of all joy. When we fail to be obedient, we can turn to Christ to be forgiven through His infinite atonement. This process of forgiveness brings us to more fully feel joy as we come to know more intimately the source of our salvation, and realize the great gift He offers—forgiveness and joy in this life, and salvation and eternal joy in the presence of our Father in the next. All that the Father hath is offered to us and as we ask, we shall receive.

Ultimately our joy comes from Jesus Christ. One of my absolute favorite scriptures is John 16:33:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

We can have joy in this fallen world, because Christ has overcome it and offers His salvation to all. It’s as if He is saying to us, “Don’t worry. This life is hard. But be happy. I will save you.” Surely that is something we can all find joy in.

4 comments:

Colleen said...

Kris, save this blog. It could be an excellent talk someday. You have some wonderful thoughts and great understanding here. I posted my comment too early, on your last blog instead of this one. Now I get the hang of it. I hope others leave their thoughts, too.

Angee said...

I have thought about this Joy topic all week. And you know what-this is very silly but, where I found the answers for me this past week was in the Children's Song books -I have tried to turn on one of the CD's every morning in my kitchen. Those lyrics put the doctrines of our church in such a simple eloquent form. I love Beautiful Savior. I feel really happy when I listen to them and I realize that for me it is in the simple little things that I do find joy.Maybe I love it because it stirs up happy thoughts from my youth. Or that it sparks smiles in my kids eyes.

Angee said...

Beautiful Savior (lyrics)
Fair is the sunshine, Fairer the Moonlight -And all the stars in heav'n above: Jesus shines brighter. Jesus shines purer-And brings to all the world his love. Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Thee I honor, praise, and give glory. Give glory evermore! Evermore! Fair are the meadows, Fairer the woodlands. Robed in the flowers of blooming spring: Jesus is fairer. Jesus is purer. He makes the sorrowing spirit sing.

The music is so beautiful- I tear up every time I hear it. I love the last line. Thanks for your wonderful insight. I felt inspired today. Off to bed

Kristine Tanner said...

Thanks for your comments, guys. I love you! By the way, Angee, I have had "Beautiful Savior" in my head all day. It is a great song.
Thanks again!