Does our heavenly Father want us to always be happy? Is our happiness his main goal? There is a church pamphlet on Chasity that is very good. We would all be better off to live our lives according to God's laws. The author of this pamphlet begins by saying that our heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy today and forever. Could the author have used the word "holiness" instead of happiness?
If you study church history from the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, you may find that they set aside their own happiness to embrace plural marriage. The put what they believed to be the laws of God ahead of their own happiness. Life was very hard for the early Mormons as they traveled west through danger and cold winters. Many died or lost children to sickness.
The apostle Paul set aside his own pursuit of happiness to follow God. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 he writes, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?"
Jesus made an unpopular statement that is related to "our happiness" in Matthew 16:24-26: "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Jesus said those who are persecuted are blessed and should rejoice in Matthew 5:10-12. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
According to James, we should be joyful in trials because they are necessary for our maturity. James 1:2-4 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
After you have lived a number of years, you will probable experience a very sad event that is hard to understand. Not having the answers to difficult circumstances is a trial in itself. God is all-powerful and yet He allows things to happen to us. Job, in the Old Testament, is an incredible story and example of this. He lost all his children, his riches and his health. At the end of the book, God blessed him with more children and great riches. I think it is fair to say that our immediate pursuit of happiness is not God's top priority. He may put our need for maturity, holiness and future rewards ahead of our pursuit of happiness.
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