Tuesday 17 April 2018

How Can I Find Peace?

April 2, 2018
How can I Find Peace and Help Others Find It Too?

When we hear the word peace often the first thing that comes into our minds is the peace that comes as an absence of war or some conflict in the world. But even during times of war and conflict you can feel peace, and sometimes can feel a lack of peace when there is no commotion in the world. One place you can always find peace is in the gospel of Jesus Christ, his atonement, the Holy Ghost, and our own righteous acts and service. 

How often do you do something for someone that needed your help and you come away feeling bad? Mosiah 2:17 says "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

You are here on this earth not only to help yourself, but to help those around you in need. This life is not a weight lifting competition to see whose world can be heavier than the next guys. You are each here to help lift one another's burdens and make them light. 

There will be times when you ask "how long do I have to endure this trial, when will I feel peace or safety again?" You are not the first to ask this question, Joseph Smith in liberty jail prayed "O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries? Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?

O Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy pavilion be taken up; let thy hiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us. Let thine anger be kindled against our enemies; and, in the fury of thine heart, with thy sword avenge us of our wrongs. Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever." during this time the members of the church were being run out of their homes and in some cases being killed and he could do nothing about it. The weight of the world was on the prophet Joseph smith's shoulders, and that was a lot of weight. Fortunately you don't have to take on the weight of a prophet’s world or anyone else's for that matter, all you have to do is let them rest their load on you. It's easy to do this, because it's not your load all you’re doing is letting them have a break by talking things out with you, giving them the strength to keep going. This is not about comparing burdens, it's about sharing burdens. We don't want to take others burdens on us because sometimes the things we go through are to help us grow in some way that only the lord knows. Remember what I said about growing our spiritual muscles and how we can't grow them without getting a little sore? All these things are to make us stronger in some way, and lucky for us we don't have to carry our burdens all on our own. We have spotters just like we sometimes do at the gym to help us get the weight we have up of our chest when things get to heavy for us to do it alone. Heavenly father does not want us to fail. He has people everywhere posted along the way to help us along in this journey called life, and you are here in this life as one of them to help others lift their burdens when they get to heavy to carry, and someone is here in life to do the same for you.

I know as you do your part in this life to help others through their trials, and hardships that the lord will strengthen you, and send someone for you when you need that same help of lifting your world when it gets too heavy. The lord loves you and will always be there for you no matter what. 

D&C 121:7-8 says

My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

I know this to be true. The lord’s answer to hard times is to go forward with faith. You can do hard things as you rely on the lord. 

 

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