Rejoice with those that Rejoice

Most of us are familiar with Mosiah 18 in the Book of Mormon (see www.mormon.org). Those who are baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are told that in order to uphold our baptismal covenant we must, "mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort and to be witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places..." (vs. 9) In my life, I feel like I have taken the command to "mourn with those that mourn" pretty seriously. Having faced my own set of trials, I have seen how my empathy for those that face similar trials have blessed their life as well as my own.

One day at church a girl shared with us something she learned in one of her religion classes at BYU. She said something to the affect of, "We need to not only mourn with those that mourn but rejoice with those that rejoice." Although this is not scriptural, I think that the phrase, "rejoice with those that rejoice" is pertinent to our lives. Being at BYU, it is really easy to compare. Especially because most people here are high achievers, talented, and very beautiful. It is easy to compare and sometimes difficult to be happy for those who are successful in ways that I may not be successful in...yet.

If a girl comes in with a shiny diamond ring to church, I know most girls are thinking in the back of their head, "Wow, what a beautiful ring [ok, well sometimes they're ugly]! I want one of those! When is it my turn? When will I find that special someone?" My point in saying this is that it's hard to rejoice with those that rejoice, or be happy for someone when they're happy and you don't have that happiness in your reach...yet.

I think we can all have that mindset. Wow, my neighbor bought a new house, car, ipod, etc...or another person is able to take a grand tour of Europe while you're still stuck in Boondocks, Utah. Or that person gets the job that they want, the man they want, the scholarship they want, the kids they want, the popularity they want, the body they want, and the list can go on.

My reason for talking about this is that this is an acquired skill to rejoice with those that rejoice. I don't even think it's as easy as just saying, "ohhhh, I am SO happy for you" in that annoying voice that we all despise! This is a Christ-like attribute, something that we must pray for. Obtaining this attribute is definitely a work in progress. I have just recognized that I need to do this more. I need to be happy for those who obtain the desires of their heart even if I have not yet obtained mine.

Why should we do this? Christ has asked us to love others and by loving others I believe it also means that we are happy for them when they are happy. By doing this we do not become cynical, pessimistic, or judgmental of other people. By doing this we become more charitable, meaning we are long-suffering in the things that we do not have; waiting patiently upon the Lord. By doing this, it means that when I finally obtain the righteous desires of my heart I am much more compassionate of those who are still waiting for their promised blessings. It means that I am less likely to boast and more likely to be grateful. By doing this, I am that much more qualified to enter the celestial kingdom.

I'm not sure why I wrote this today, but I think mainly to keep me in line and to remember that happiness is a choice that I must make everyday. I hope to choose to rejoice with those that rejoice and that, in turn, people will rejoice when I rejoice.