Today I was able to be present at a blessing or benediction for two of my cousins, where I had the opportunity to share my testimony with the congregation and various family members. There have been times when I have shared a testimony and can't really recall what exactly I said at the pulpit. Today I had that feeling after bearing mine, the one thing I clearly remembered was this one statement "I choose to be happy". I love the word Gospel its Greek root meaning is "glad tidings" and the Gospel of Jesus Christ truly is such.
I have not always been able to see a more positive outlook, because its very easy to dwell on the negative and slip into self pity, depression, denial, and anger. Those feelings are not of God, for something that makes you feel weighted down and miserable is not of divine origin. The gospel really does bring the light of Christ to our lives and when we allow these dark feelings to take hold and persist, that light cannot shine through and you can and will lose touch with God.
By choosing to be happy I have come to fully appreciate the implications and teachings of the gospel. I have learned that my choices require actions, just like having faith requires action, being happy also requires action. It is not easy to be happy all the time, and I am not advocating a constant medicated state either;however by choosing to focus on the positive happiness just follows.
The pursuit of self indulgence does not bring true happiness and yet so many prefer to follow those paths and in doing so they miss out on so much.
God created man to be happy and that feeling can come from so many avenues such as living and loving the gospel, having and accepting family for who they are, good friends, helping strangers, etc.
So to put it simply: Choose to be Happy.
