Peace in the Beginning of Sorrows

“Hey, Mom, did you know that we are in another war?”  That’s what my eleven year old Stephanie asked me a little over a week ago and it has been sitting in my mind rolling over and over.

“Yes, sweetie, we probably always will be.”  How nice was that for a mom to say to a child.  I could have left it at that, but I tried to make it okay. 

“You are safe and sound here, in our house, in our little town.  The scriptures say that it will always be that way until Jesus comes back.  This just means we are getting closer to earth becoming better.”

There has always been war, from the very beginning of man, even in the Garden of Eden, even with Adam and Eve’s children.  Heck, it got so bad that Heavenly Father had to wipe the slate clean and start over with the flood, so what is so different about now? 

I remember the first Gulf War and thinking how horrible it was that in my lifetime, people that I actually knew, young men that I had grown up with, would go off to war.  So surprising and shocking as was so many other wars like, the World Wars and Korean War and Vietnam etc.  The difference for our younger children is that most likely they will never know the world with the breaks of peace inbetween.  It possibly cannot be with Satan working overtime.

So how do you make your children feel safe, how do I make myself feel safe?  After all I have a married boy in the military that could be called up and shipped off any moment.  I haven’t completely figured that one out yet, but when it comes to mind all I feel is peace and I know it will be okay.

Timothy 3

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

I don’t think that we haven’t been warned.  The scriptures have taught for thousands of years that this time would come.

 

St. Matthew 24

 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 Doesn’t sound like there is much to hope for, doesn’t sound like I should feel comfort…then why do I?  Why do I feel peace when I fear war?  Why do I feel that inner stirring of gratitude when I think of a world so filled with men and women who think of themselves as godly but deny the power of God?  How can I feel such peace?

 Thessalonians 4

 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 Isaiah 52

 7 ¶How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

The scriptures have warned and we have watched but no other time in the world has it felt so close.  But the scriptures have also praised and sent good tidings of good, published peace and said that God reigneth.  That is how I can have peace.  When at times that my mind sprints violently and my heart beats uncontrollably the Holy Ghost whispers peace so softly and sweetly that it drowns out all the jumbled noise streaming in of fear and doubt from the world.

 

Will my little girl ever know the life that seemed so much simpler from my days of youth, probably not, but does she need to live life afraid?  Absolutely not, and that is the great thing about her, she doesn’t.  She walks on, her very quiet, very tender little self, the one who sits back and sweetly watches it all, innocent and young but so wise and she radiates peace.  Maybe that is why the spirit can speak such peace to my soul, because my very gentle little girl publishes it from the mountains in every quiet act of gentleness she bestows every day.

 

Will the world one day come to an end?  Absolutely.  Do I look with longing for that day?  Every moment of every day.  But does that mean that there isn’t peace and joy for now, for today, and even for tomorrow.  Heaven’s no.  There is peace in everything even amongst the wars and rumors of wars and the beginning of sorrows.  I read it in the scriptures, I feel it as I look at my food storage, I hear it in the kind words that my friends and family and even strangers send my way, and most definitely I see it in the quiet peace that shines from my Little Stephanie in her tender silent faith.