Perfect Peace Through Christ
by Debi Larson
It
was another beautiful day at BYU-Idaho.
Unfortunately, it was also another day in a religion class where my
professor enjoyed his tangents and I, distracted and bored, flipped randomly
through my scriptures. During one
of these instances, I heard my teacher say, almost off-handedly, that a
peacemaker is someone who brings others to Christ, “because where else can you
find perfect peace?” Feeling
enlightened, I jotted down his comment and have been mulling it over ever
since.
Perfect peace is found in Christ. How much more simple and logical can it get? Christ is our Redeemer, the Prince of Peace. With that as His role, we know He performed the Atonement for us. In atoning for our sins, Christ was required to pass through a very trying period of feeling pain—physical, emotional, any and all types of pain—so that He could know how to succor us in our times of trial and despondency. Merrill J. Bateman says that he believes Christ felt pain for each of us individually. “Instead of an impersonal mass of sin,” he says, “there was a long line of people…The Atonement was an intimate, personal experience in which Jesus came to know how to help each of us.” By going through a long line of people, that means He felt many of the same emotions and pain over and over and over again. It must have been so internally chaotic to feel the same grief repeatedly, and then feel so much in such a short amount of time. We often feel we’re on an “emotional roller coaster,” but it can’t quite compare with the roller coaster Christ must have been feeling. And yet, perhaps ironically, it is because of those intense, chaotic feelings that we can find perfect peace. Because Christ underwent such chaos, but individually, He understands us fully and perfectly; thus, He can provide personal perfect peace.
Perfect peace is found in Christ. How much more simple and logical can it get? Christ is our Redeemer, the Prince of Peace. With that as His role, we know He performed the Atonement for us. In atoning for our sins, Christ was required to pass through a very trying period of feeling pain—physical, emotional, any and all types of pain—so that He could know how to succor us in our times of trial and despondency. Merrill J. Bateman says that he believes Christ felt pain for each of us individually. “Instead of an impersonal mass of sin,” he says, “there was a long line of people…The Atonement was an intimate, personal experience in which Jesus came to know how to help each of us.” By going through a long line of people, that means He felt many of the same emotions and pain over and over and over again. It must have been so internally chaotic to feel the same grief repeatedly, and then feel so much in such a short amount of time. We often feel we’re on an “emotional roller coaster,” but it can’t quite compare with the roller coaster Christ must have been feeling. And yet, perhaps ironically, it is because of those intense, chaotic feelings that we can find perfect peace. Because Christ underwent such chaos, but individually, He understands us fully and perfectly; thus, He can provide personal perfect peace.
Because
Christ underwent such chaos, but individually, He understands us fully and
perfectly; thus, He can provide personal perfect peace.
![Picture](/uploads/6/2/5/2/6252344/1301540732.jpg)
So
how do we get there? How is
perfect peace attained in Christ when most of us have never seen Him in
our
mortal bodies and don’t have daily tete-a-tetes? We have access to Him
through the Holy Ghost. Christ reminded His apostles that even
when He must leave, “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost…shall teach
you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
unto
you.” The Holy Ghost, as the ultimate peacemaker, leads all to come unto
Christ. He brings all things to our
remembrance, so that means we can recall those times when we felt
perfect peace
and happiness, and calm down or at least revisit those feelings to
hopefully
bring them nearer in times of despondency. The Holy Ghost can also
bring the atonement to our memory for
us to rely on.
Religion can also provide peace because it is belief in a perfect higher power. It is often apparent in our lives that we are not perfect. When we forget a birthday, offend a friend, or fail to accomplish our obligations, we are reminded of our imperfections. These failures can aid us in feeling discouraged. However, it can be a comfort to realize that there is a higher, more perfect being that is in control. Where we make mistakes, He can correct. We may see the world, our imperfections, the imperfections of others, and all the trials occurring, and we may become quite pessimistic. What hope it then brings to see an unchanging being guiding it all, and one also willing to provide second chances. In believing in a higher power, we then believe in an idea of “right” versus “wrong.” When we know that we are making the right decision, through the spirit of Christ, we find peace.
Peace can also be found through selflessness. With a focus on others comes a strange forgetfulness of personal concerns and fears. A recent study conducted by psychology and marketing professors at Harvard and British Columbia Universities reports that, “spending more of one’s income on others predicted greater happiness…participants who were randomly assigned to spend money on others experienced greater happiness than those assigned to spend money on themselves.” But service doesn’t have to be monetary to bring peace and happiness. Mowing your neighbor’s lawn immediately following your own, babysitting for free, and inviting others over for dinner are some simple ways to serve and thus bring personal peace.
The wonderful feeling of peace brings about a happier emotion. Individual peace can be found in religion as people strive to look toward Christ, the Prince of Peace, recognize the perfection of a higher power that is in control, follow the Spirit that leads to Christ, and serve others. As individuals are more at peace, communities and eventually nations, too, can find peace.
Religion can also provide peace because it is belief in a perfect higher power. It is often apparent in our lives that we are not perfect. When we forget a birthday, offend a friend, or fail to accomplish our obligations, we are reminded of our imperfections. These failures can aid us in feeling discouraged. However, it can be a comfort to realize that there is a higher, more perfect being that is in control. Where we make mistakes, He can correct. We may see the world, our imperfections, the imperfections of others, and all the trials occurring, and we may become quite pessimistic. What hope it then brings to see an unchanging being guiding it all, and one also willing to provide second chances. In believing in a higher power, we then believe in an idea of “right” versus “wrong.” When we know that we are making the right decision, through the spirit of Christ, we find peace.
Peace can also be found through selflessness. With a focus on others comes a strange forgetfulness of personal concerns and fears. A recent study conducted by psychology and marketing professors at Harvard and British Columbia Universities reports that, “spending more of one’s income on others predicted greater happiness…participants who were randomly assigned to spend money on others experienced greater happiness than those assigned to spend money on themselves.” But service doesn’t have to be monetary to bring peace and happiness. Mowing your neighbor’s lawn immediately following your own, babysitting for free, and inviting others over for dinner are some simple ways to serve and thus bring personal peace.
The wonderful feeling of peace brings about a happier emotion. Individual peace can be found in religion as people strive to look toward Christ, the Prince of Peace, recognize the perfection of a higher power that is in control, follow the Spirit that leads to Christ, and serve others. As individuals are more at peace, communities and eventually nations, too, can find peace.
Debi Larson is studying
English at BYU-Idaho. She credits
her membership in the LDS church with her fortune in being able to find
personal peace. She enjoys sharing
that peace with others.