Enduring Joy ~ Part Two

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish.  

This post focuses on BYU Devotional in January 2020, and it is called "Enduring Joy" by President of Brigham Young University - Kevin J. Worthen. This post is part two. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

President Worthen mentioned the following; "Thus, even though we may not experience a complete fulness of joy until the next life, it is very much in our interest to do what we can to experience all the joy we can in this life both because it will make our current lives better and because it will better prepare us for our ultimate destiny to experience the fulness of joy that God wants to share with us.

So how do we do that? How can we cultivate more joy in our lives now and thereby increase our capacity to experience joy in the next life? Let me share six suggestions.

Cultivating More Joy in Our Lives

First, we need to recognize, and constantly remember, that our ability to have joy in this life and in the eternities is not dependent on external conditions.

As President Nelson so eloquently put it: The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation . . . and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening or not happening in our lives.

This is the quote that Elders Christofferson and Andersen cited in their most recent general conference talks. This is the quote that Elder Kearon shared in the Christmas devotional and that Sister Bingham shared in her most recent BYU devotional.

It is so contrary to what many in the world think and that erroneous thinking diverts us from joy that it bears repeating: The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus

of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation ... and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening or not happening in our lives.

The JOY we feel has little to do with the CIRCUMSTANCES
of our lives and everything to do with the FOCUS of our lives."
- Russell M. Nelson.

This is not a mere abstract concept. It is to be taken literally. ... This is what President Nelson invites us, as well as all the world, to experience what he calls “enduring joy” joy that can exist even when we fail a test, feel rejected, or face ridicule. ... So don’t wait for your circumstances to change before experiencing an increase of joy. Draw 

on the power of joy in every situation.

Second, we should recognize and remember that enduring joy constant joy does not mean uninterrupted bliss and a life free of challenges. Suffering and adversity are part of the eternal plan, a part of the process by which we come to develop enduring joy. Joy helps us transcend temporary trials; it does not eliminate them from our lives.

... Even God, who is the very essence of joy, experiences sorrow.

... So don’t let Satan fool you into thinking that you are failing in your quest for joy because you have tough days. All of us do. Satan wants us to be miserable like unto him, and one way he strives to do that is by discouraging us into thinking that the challenges and difficulties we experience are the result of our own inadequacies and prove that we are not worthy of joy. 

But many of life’s events are beyond our control. We may struggle with mental health issues or be radically affected by the inadvertent, or even intentional, misdeeds of others, or maybe we just struggle because of the vicissitudes of life. If so, we should not blame ourselves or think ourselves beyond God’s reach. Instead we should recognize that with the Savior’s help, we can still experience joy even in the midst of our afflictions.

As President Nelson explained, because of Christ “we can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year!” When you experience the inevitable challenges that lie ahead, believe in God and believe that He is concerned for you individually. He will weep with you, even as He bids you to “lift up your heart, and be glad.”

And when you are struggling, do not overlook the positive impact that you can have on others even while you are feeling inadequate. You are probably doing much better than you think, and others around are uplifted even when you are struggling inwardly. ..."

Stay Tuned until next time.