This chapter makes it clear that
the things we are experiencing in today’s world, the natural disasters, the
fighting in the Middle East as well as other places in the world, the
tornadoes, devastating tropical storms, droughts, unseasonable weather – can
there be any doubt these are the days the Lord speaks of in this chapter? It is chilling, but fascinating to watch -
maybe because somehow I’m able to watch from a point of safety. But what is creating that safety? Would I feel safe if I was living a life of
sin and still had the comforts and security that surround me? That is a really good question. I have to go back to an earlier day in my
life to really explore it.
There was a day when I did not
keep the commandments. I had been taught
as a child and I knew the consequences of disobedience – maybe not to the
degree that I do now, but I had been taught and I believed I would burn as
stubble when the Lord comes. Did I have
peace in my world even though I had the necessities of life (to a degree)? I had NO peace in my life. I never felt confident from one day to the
next what tomorrow would bring. So I
don’t believe it was the material possessions that brought me peace. It wasn’t a full-time job that was working
well for me. I knew it could disappear
at any moment. It wasn’t a nice home I
was living in. I knew at any moment, we
would be unable to provide it.
So where does peace come from as
we navigate through these tumultuous times?
The peace comes from knowing beyond any doubt that the Lord has a
Plan. This Plan has been in place for
eons of time. I agreed to it and cheered
for it before coming to this earth. I
have faith in its fulfillment. I know
Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to be happy. I know He wants me to return to Him. I know He will not give me any burden,
challenge, or circumstance that will destroy me, but only give me more cause to
see His hand in my life and increase my faith and strength. These things I know bring me peace even
amidst some pretty horrific things happening in my life and the lives of my
children currently. Even with my mom
struggling to recover from an injury that has the power to take her life. On days that are particularly hard, I can
retire at the end of the day knowing the Lord has a Plan, that I’m part of that
Plan and that in the end, it will all be okay.
It is easy for me to say, “Thy will be done”. It is a blessing to say in prayer, “Father, I
don’t know what to pray for, but I know you know our needs and the desires of
our hearts.” Those are my favorite
prayers because it isn’t long and I see some pretty amazing things happen and
can pin it on that plea to the Lord. I
don’t know how He’s going to do it, but I know I will be happy. So that is where the peace comes from – the
peace that comes from understanding; the peace that passeth all understanding. And I don’t need to know everything today.
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