Discussion: What is the secret of being happy?
- The angels in heaven find happiness in being useful. They find peace and satisfaction by accomplishing things.
- Why does doing good for others make the angels happy? (Because they love the Lord and serving others.)
- If we are accomplishing something worthwhile, we may find contentment and a deeper love for being useful to others.
- What are some uses that bring you joy? (Consider your occupation and other opportunities to help others.)
- To those “who faithfully perform uses, the Lord gives the love of use and its reward, which is internal blessedness, and this is eternal happiness” (True Christian Religion 736.3). This internal blessedness—this joy in making others happy—is the joy of our Lord.
- Angels have happiness from the Lord according to the essence and quality of their use (Arcana Coelestia 997).
Readings
- “Using Our Gifts from the Lord” by Thomas Kline (ages 7-14)
The most important things we can do is to use our talents to serve others. How sad it would be if the Lord gave us special gifts and we just forgot about them! - “The Value of Work” by Brian W. Keith (ages 18 and up)
The path which leads to heaven is far easier than most people imagine. If we want to walk along the path to heaven, we can. The only thing which would prevent a person from walking toward heaven with ease is a desire to remain in evil. - Helping Our Children Develop Their Gifts from the Lord (ages 18 and up)
Suggestions for helping children develop their unique gifts and appreciate the importance of helping other people by being useful.
Projects and activities for all ages
- What Can You Do? (ages 4-9)
Gather a variety of things that can be used to help someone. Children take turns holding one of the things and answering, “How could you use this to be helpful or kind to someone else?” - When I Grow Up… (ages 3-12)
Children picture or write about what they might want to do when they become adults. - For Reflection: Let Love Guide Toward Uses (ages 11 and up)
What do you love to do? How can you serve other people while doing something you love? - Charity Is) (teens and up)
The Lord gives us many teachings about charity and use in His Word. Here is a page of quotations for reading and discussion that can be cut apart so that people can take turns reading them aloud. - Prayers for Teens: Using Our Gifts from the Lord
Teach us to use the unique gifts that You have given us to make the world a better reflection of Your will for all humankind” and other prayers on this topic. - What Is My “Good Use”? (ages 15 and up)
Read and reflect on a passage from the Heavenly Doctrines for the New Church. - For Reflection: Treasures of the Heart (teens and up)
How can we gather spiritual treasure and bring forth good? - Finding Happiness (teens and up)
Write about a time when you found great happiness in being useful. This might be helping a friend who was having difficulty, starting a new project, or reaching someone you had been trying to help for a long while. - For Reflection: Becoming a Good and Faithful Servant of the Lord (teens and up)
How can we work on becoming good and faithful servants of the Lord?
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