Man's Highest Happiness

In Tolstoy’s War and Peace the character Pierre who had lived a fairly raucous young life had a moment of conversion and afterwards sought to be better and serve his fellow man. He had a conversation with his friend Andrew Bolkonski in which the latter suggested that the good in life is the absence of remorse and illness. Pierre responded, “And love of one’s neighbor, and self-sacrifice? No, I can’t agree with you! To live only so as not to do evil and not to have to repent is not enough. I lived like that, I lived for myself and ruined my life. And only now when I am living, or at least trying to live for others, only now have I understood all the happiness of life.” He added a little later in their conversation, “On earth, here on this earth there is no truth, all is false and evil; but in the universe, in the whole universe there is a kingdom of truth, and we who are now the children of earth are—eternally—children of the whole universe. Don’t I feel in my soul that I am part of this vast harmonious whole? Don’t I feel that I form one link, one step, between the lower and higher beings, in this vast harmonious multitude of beings in whom the Deity—the Supreme Power if you prefer the term—is manifest? If I see, clearly see, that ladder leading from plant to man, why should I suppose it breaks off at me and does not go farther and farther? I feel that I cannot vanish, since nothing vanishes in this world, but that I shall always exist and always have existed. I feel that beyond me and above me there are spirits, and that in this world there is truth.” When Andrew suggested that he did believe there was something after this life because of his experience losing his wife, Pierre responded, “If there is a God and future life, there is truth and good, and man’s highest happiness consists in striving to attain them. We must live, we must love, and we must believe that we live not only today on this scrap of earth, but have lived and shall live forever, there, in the Whole.” Pierre’s message was as I see it that we find happiness in two things: to love one’s neighbor and to seek out God. In other words, our happiness comes most surely when we strive to follow Christ’s two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37, 39).

                In the most recent general conference Elder Uchtdorf spoke about finding a higher joy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Recognizing that people can find joy in places outside of spirituality and religion, he said, “By inviting everyone and sharing the Savior’s good news of great joy, we do not discount any of these sources of joy. We’re simply saying that God has something more to give. A higher and more profound joy—a joy that transcends anything this world offers. It is a joy that endures heartbreak, penetrates sorrow, and diminishes loneliness. Worldly happiness, by contrast, does not last. It cannot. It is the nature of all earthly things to grow old, decay, wear out, or become stale. But godly joy is eternal, because God is eternal. Jesus Christ came to lift us out of the temporal and replace corruption with incorruption. Only He has that power, and only His joy is perpetual.” Two of the ways He suggested to find joy, also coinciding with the two great commandments, were these: Draw near unto God and bear one another’s burdens. We show love to God as we seek to draw near unto Him, and Elder Uchtdorf commented, “I have learned that if we draw near to God and reach out to touch Him, we can indeed find healing, peace, and joy.” Of serving and loving others, he added, “’When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God,’ and God will repay your kindness generously. The joy you give to others will return to you in ‘good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.’” Indeed, after Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:15-17). He affirmed that happiness came not from being a master but from being a servant. It is in serving that we find the greatest joy. Elder Uchtdorf summarized his message with this invitation: “During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to: Spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God. Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy. Bring joy to others around you.” We will find joy not as we obtain more of the things of the world or elevate our position in society, but rather it will be ours as we learn to love God and our neighbor with all our hearts.