Finding Happiness in Times of Despair

If you believe in God, you probably believe in an adversary being. This being goes by many names, but for the purposes of this post, I will simply refer to him as the adversary.

As we study the scriptures, one of the many things we can learn is the methods by which this adversary would strive to make up captive in his kingdom. One of his names is The Father of Lies, and that he is. But his lies aren't obviously, glaring untruths. He strives to subtly confuse us by telling half-truths, and white lies to gradually grasp us into his chains one small step at a time.

In my experience, these lies and subtle temptations always start off with the thoughts in our minds. No action was ever committed unless it was pondered and mulled over first. Therefore, this is where our preemptive strike needs to take place in order to fight this adversary.

Now to get personal. Because of a series of unfortunate recent events, I have been struggling with feelings only the adversary would place in my mind...feelings such as anger, self-pity and self-loathing, envy and jealousy. The culmination of these feelings developed yesterday morning as I awoke and I felt as if I was about to sink into the spiral of despair and depression which can often plague us without warning.

Over the years, I've come to understand that this is one of the adversary's most powerful tools, to bring us down into the depths of depression, thus making us ineffective servants of God, ineffective wives, and useless mothers. When we are consumed with these feelings, it is almost impossible to focus on the needs of others. Thus, we are unable to perform one of the fundamental tasks Heavenly Father has sent us to do...to love and serve our fellow man.

On the morning that I awoke with these feelings, I immediately recognized from whence they came, and I became determined to shut them out of my mind. I wasn't sure how I would go about doing it, but I was not going to give fertile ground to these evil thoughts that would bring me down to ineffectiveness in my home.

After the 5 older children went to school, I did what I normally do. I went to youtube to turn on some music to listen to as I cleaned the kitchen. Usually I listen to something upbeat, hip, and modern, but this day, something compelled me to search out the sacred music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I listened to some of my favorite hymns, and searched out new pieces, and before long, I felt my spirits being lifted to a degree I would never have imagined could occur on that day.

I felt that the inspiration to seek out this music was a gift from God, an answer to beseeching prayers and pleas of help, and I am so grateful for this gift. I'm tearing up just thinking about it right now. And not only were my spirits lifted, I noticed that the twins seemed to enjoy it as much as I did...

Can't you just see the wonder on Twin B's face? It was so beautiful...

I'd like to share some of the hymns, in particular, which caused me to feel of God's love for me on that day.

The following hymn is a traditional Christian hymn, and one of my all-time favorites, especially this version...



The next is a hymn I was privileged to hear in person as I attended the semi-annual worldwide conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints a couple of years ago. I remember moving closer and closer to the edge of my seat, almost wanting to stand up and shout my appreciation for this most beautiful arrangement of How Firm a Foundation....

(Embedding has been disabled by request on this video, but you can view it by clicking HERE.)

And the last hymn I'd like to share with you with is the true gift God gave me that day. It is a hymn I heard, again, in person in the conference center in Salt Lake for the first time in 2005, and I was completely swept off my feet. This hymn, called The Iron Rod, is put to the tune of "Jupiter", from Holst's "The Planets", and I had been searching for a copy of this version for the last 4 years. I didn't even know the name of the hymn, but as I input the information I did have in youtube's search box, I was ecstatic to find, on the first click, that this was the hymn I had been searching for for so long! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have...

(Embedding has also been disabled by request on this video, but you can view it by clicking HERE.)

Thank you so much for being here. If you'd like to chat about anything at all having to do with the Mormon religion, please know that I will be here at my computer today from 10:00 to 11:45 AM MST to answer any questions at all about Mormon beliefs, lifestyle and doctrine. Or, if the personal experience I shared with you today prompts feelings or questions you'd like to share, please feel free.

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