Universal peace was not part of the Savior’s initial earthly ministry. Personal peace is (and always has been) a core party of His ministry.
Joseph’s time in Liberty Jail demonstrates that adversity is not evidence of the Lord’s disfavor nor a withdrawal of His blessings.
As I stood in Liberty Jail, I was deeply touched as I read the Lord’s answer: “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.” It is clear that opposition can refine us for an eternal, celestial destiny.
This reminds me of the peaceful assurance I received late in 2020 that I had endured the full scope of what I would be called to endure in life—that nothing would exceed what I had already been through.
Peace in the world is not promised or assured until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Savior instructed His Apostles that His earthly mission would not achieve universal peace. He taught, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.” Universal peace was not part of the Savior’s initial mortal ministry. Universal peace does not exist today.
However, personal peace can be achieved despite the anger, contention, and division that blight and corrupt our world today. It has never been more important to seek personal peace. A beautiful and beloved new hymn, written for today’s youth by Brother Nik Day, titled “Peace in Christ” declares, “When there’s no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.” We were blessed to have this hymn just before the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
- What are some of the “works of righteousness” that will help us deal with disputations and lessen contention and find peace in this world? …
- Love God, Live His Commandments, and Forgive Everyone
- Seek the Fruits of the Spirit
- Exercise Agency to Choose Righteousness
- Build Zion in Our Hearts and Homes
- Follow the Current Admonitions of Our Prophet
To have peaceful relationships, the lesson is clear: we should be willing to compromise and eliminate strife with respect to matters that do not involve righteousness.
Notice that we have to build Zion in our homes (obviously) but also in our hearts. We need to choose the path of peace in our thoughts and not contention. We need to determine for ourselves that we will seek to be peacemakers rather than relinquish or agency and follow whatever course comes our way. (“I’ll be peaceful if he leaves me alone.”)
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