“If you don’t get the blessings you want in this life, you’ll get them in the next life.” While many of us have heard this principle and believe in God’s ability to fulfill our righteous desires, it can be difficult to find contentment in the here and now. How can we find joy in this life when things don’t go the way we had hoped, even despite our best efforts?
Kalo Latu, an adjunct professor at the Brigham Young University School of Music, recently discussed this question on an episode of the Magnify podcast, exploring how we can nurture hope while exercising faith.
Divine Joy Isn’t Conditional
Kalo described a Sunday School discussion about joy from not long ago in her single adult ward. A woman said that she felt frustrated with the implication that she needs to wait to be happy, commenting humorously:
“I hate when people say to me, ‘Don't worry. You’ll get all the blessings in the next life,’ because all I hear is, ‘All you’ve got to do is die, and then good things will happen. Just white-knuckle it through this life, then you’ll get the nice husband with the eight perfect children who never make you sad.’”
This sister’s playful example highlights how we can get caught in all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to experiencing joy. Rather than feeling like we must wait until everything is perfect, Kalo suggests that God sent us to Earth to experience joy—regardless of our circumstances.
“God intended us to have joy, and there are no conditions on that statement,” Kalo says, referring to 2 Nephi 2:25. “It’s not, ‘if you are married,’ ‘if you are married to a nice person,’ ‘if you have kids,’ ‘if you have nice kids,’ … it just says you are intended to have joy, right?
“And for those who are single and never had kids, even though you want them and have fasted and gone to the temple, and it’s not happened, you can sort of feel like, ‘I’m living a half-life. … until I get to the next life, and then my life can begin.’ And I don’t believe that. I’ve never believed that, but I do know that that’s a conversation that happens.”
While Kalo acknowledged that delayed blessings can bring uncertainty and test our faith, she believes we can still have hope and joy today because of God’s love for us. “The mountain of uncertainty is something that Heavenly Father can help me understand because I know He didn’t send me here to fail,” Kalo says. “And He didn’t send me here to be sad because things didn’t [turn] out the way I want them to. I can still have joy even when all blessings are not realized in this time.”
Climbing Mountains, Experiencing Miracles
This divine truth doesn’t mean we should ignore our feelings of sadness or disappointment or expect to be happy all the time. As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf reassured us at the April 2024 general conference:
“Feeling sad is not a sign of failure. In this life, at least, joy and sorrow are inseparable companions. …
“However, I have also experienced for myself the glorious dawn that fills the soul with joy so profound that it can scarcely be kept in. I have discovered for myself that this peaceful confidence comes from following the Savior and walking in His Way.
“Joy is the very purpose of God’s plan for His children. It’s what you were created for—‘that [you] might have joy’! You were built for this!”
As we navigate the gap between where we are and where we would like to be, God can help us climb mountains of uncertainty, sadness, and pain. He can help us find joy in the moment and experience the miracles of hope and peace.
To hear more from Kalo, listen to the full Magnify episode, available in the player below or on your favorite streaming platform. You can also hear her speak live at a Magnify event near you! Find details below the podcast.
▶ Sad to see TOFW end? Start a new chapter with Magnify events, coming to a city near you
Seek and Expect Miracles
Fill your spiritual cup with inspiring speakers, uplifting music, and encouraging conversations—all from a central stage. Participants will receive a beautiful event-themed notebook and pen and have the chance to participate in fun giveaways and a meet and mingle.
Come be inspired to act on President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to seek and expect miracles—the miracles of joy, peace, faith, and hope that we can find in Christ.
For more uplifting content from Magnify, check out the articles below:
▶ Take this first step if choosing joy feels beyond your reach
▶ Ask this 1 question when you want to serve someone but don’t know where to begin
▶ The most productive thing you can do for your testimony is also the simplest
