Rejoice Evermore!

Okay, really rough count from the Topical Guide under Cheer, Cheerful, Happiness, Joy, and Rejoice yielded 145 scriptures telling us to be happy and showing us how to be happy. (I take no responsibility for the accurateness of that count. I think some scriptures appeared in more than one topic and may have been counted twice. Still, that's a lot of scriptures on the subject.)

Here are some of my favorites:

Alma 26:35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

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.

2Nephi 10:23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

D&C 78:18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

Psalms 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. (I like this one because it talks about singing, too. A subject for another post, maybe.)

Alma 24:15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

D&C 128:19 Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them!

Now, I know full well that this is not some kind of guarantee against sorrow. Bad things happen. We have trials. There are times when joy seems impossible to obtain. But I do know from personal experience that the Lord is waiting to carry us through our sorrows, and He does want us to have joy.

Oh, and the title of this post is the entire text of 1Thessalonians 5:16